I am currently sitting in a coffee shop. Splayed across the table is my laptop, scientific papers, and-- in contrast to the two sterile items-- a comforting latte breathing its warm breath in gentle curls of smoke. I like sitting next to the window so that I am right beside the streams of sunshine. Sunshine is known to enhance my academic performance.
As I read my scientific article, I noticed the girl beside me surreptitiously checking me out. Well, not so surreptitiously since I noticed. For those who don’t know, some girls check each other out. Not in the way that guys check girls out, but more to see if the girl is competition. Girls can be like cats. Possessive, cautious, and very conscious of status. This particular person looked me up and down. I could be wrong, but I interpreted this as her observing whether my clothes (jeans, shirt, flip flops) were better than hers. Obviously, my casual items did not compete with her work outfit. Sadly, I do not know the names of what she was wearing. (What do you call that button up collared shirt?) Ah…anyway, my clothes and backpack labeled me as a student which meant I was not a threat to queen bee. She returned to her conversation with her friend about purchasing a house. And how her boss had flirted with her.
[I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but she spoke very loudly. This also happens in elevators. Awkward moment: When two people are talking about a divorce and you pretend you’re not listening by staring at numbers. As if somehow you could will the elevator to get to your floor quicker.]
Thinking through all this, it must mean so much more when one can let down her guard and feel free to be herself. You in your designer-name clothes and me in my flip flops. Reframing this in my mind, this makes God's grace so much more liberating. We come just as we are. We are loved just as we are and are loved enough so that we aren't left as that. I wonder how many women, people, out there need to know that. We are not defined by our clothes, looks, real estate or relationship status. How many need this freedom and acceptance?
3 comments:
Wait, how can your laptop be sterile when your fingers touch it repeatedly?
I just meant sterile as in... cold, unfeeling objects. Haha, oh drew. dru.
you know I think guys (sometimes subconsciously) do that too, size each other up (not check each other out...). Good post tiff :)
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