First Day Musings -- Beautiful, Smart, or Interesting??

Yesterday at the Farmer's Market I was introduced by someone very kind as "the most unusual woman I know." I took it as a great compliment.

All my life, I have been marked as "unusual." As a wee little Matty, I can remember my parents saying to a neighbor one time: "Missy is beautiful; Mark is smart; Matty, well, she is interesting."

At the time my feelings were crushed. After all, who doesn't want to be smart and / or beautiful? But, I adored (and still adore) my sissie, so I can't be angry with her because she is beautiful. And, my brother is still as smart as ever and that doesn't anger me either. Me? I have come to understand that being interesting doesn't fade or change. One just gets more so.

Let me explain.

Think about people you know. Don't you enjoy the ones who are unexpected -- that is to say -- different in their approach to life? Don't you find their joy infectious? Isn't being around someone who is living as they define life inspiring?

Now, I am not saying I am all these things. Far from it! However, as I reflect, I realize that I have always seen life a little differently from most. There is no memory of my learning to read; I seem to have always done so. Heck, I read Thoreau when I was seven and "Gone with the Wind" when I was in fifth grade. I published a neighborhood newspaper which I sold for a penny door-to-door when I was eight. I believed in fairies (and still do), have seen angels, and know that the hand of God has put me in a safe place when I should have been long gone. I believe in grace and mercy. And, I believe that we are all special and unique with something important to do in this world.

And, so, as we approach this coming week, isn't it time we all learned to live our lives as we should -- being true to who and what we are? Isn't it time that we show mercy, kindness, and understanding to those who seem interesting or unusual? In short, isn't it time we become more of a model of He Who Made Us?