Mimi's vanity table represents my earliest memories of becoming what I hope to be someday. I was just there yesterday, in the bedroom at Mimi and DanDan's house. The vanity table is no longer there, Mimi has it beside her bed in her new home, but in my mind, I can still see it there in the old bedroom with the lamps glowing around it. My experiences at the table, and lounging on Mimi's bed talking with her while she got ready, are some of the times that are the deepest in my heart.
That table is a place of comfort and glomour, warm light and mirrors, soft cozy socks, silky nightgowns, an incomparable array of makeup and perfume bottles...It is the place where I realize that it's not the end of the world that my favorite jeans have become too tight, that my chin is pointy and my nose is long, that my marriage isn't perfect, that I'm not perfect. It is rich with stories, laughter, the truth of God's word being lived out through the grace, kindness and beauty of my grandmother.
I am a granddaughter of the beautiful lady who sits at this table to prepare for her long days of cooking, serving, decorating and being gracious and lovely at BSF Headquarters. Somehow, the makeup, the perfume, the well-chosen clothing and the tinyness do not matter, even though they are so there and so lovely. It matters that I choose kindness over criticism, prayerfulness over no prayer life, beauty over ugliness. Choosing to treat people carefully, as the eternal creatures that they are is choosing beauty.
Mimi always chooses beauty.
I'm not sure this post would make sense to anyone who has not known my Mimi, but I am working on my articulation of all this. This has been my first attempt.
7 comments:
You came across very well! I have a mental picture in my head and it's...rather magical, actually!
Good words!
Thank you, Carrie--that makes me really, really happy that it came across that way! (as magic, and not the electric kind, either.hehe) It's been an emotional week cleaning out their house and preparing to sell it.
This almost made me cry. So wonderful. Mimi is so amazing. I cannot imagine a single person knowing her and not wanting to be like her..And that is because she points you to Jesus with her love and love of beauty.
Agree with Amy. And it reminds me of that poem always associated with Audrey Hepburn. Do you know which one I'm talking about? Yes, Mimi is and always has been beautiful but a big part of that is that her beauty shines from within.
Thanks, y'all. :)
That's great Buff@
Oops, that was me, Stephen. ;)
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