Whew. There were a few days there I thought I'd never make it. I started Project 31 back in, what, January? But I promised myself that I'd finish, and I'm learning that these days, following through is not as easy as I thought it would be. It's a muscle that I need to exercise more, I think. Making a commitment, walking that commitment out, doing the hard work that comes with making a decision about something--that's tough. But it's good.
So here I am today, at my last Project 31 entry and I realize that even though the journey has been long, the lessons I've learned are more than worth it. It's not that I didn't know what true beauty was before tackling this project; I did. But I don't think I understood it as I do now. I wouldn't begin to claim that I understand it all. I know I don't. But nevertheless, it's fair to say that I understand more now than I did at the beginning, and as I walk away from this challenge and continue to embrace beauty, to celebrate it, to live it out--I'll understand even more about it. And I love that.
My dream is to walk in beauty. To breathe it in and savor it, to live it, to somehow embody it everyday. To recognize beauty in the dusty, neglected corners of the world that others have forgotten. To celebrate it in unconventional places. To point it out. To create it. To enjoy it.
I hope to instill these things in my daughter as she continues to grow in beauty and grace. I hope that her heart understands, truly deeply understands, how beautiful she is, how important her heart is, and how the two are intertwined. I know she'll have battles of her own, battles she'll have to fight for herself, things she'll have to learn on her own, and sorrows and heartaches that will come (she is, after all, human), but I also hope that deep down, she will know that she knows that she knows how valuable she is, how beautiful she is, and how loved she is. Just because she is.
I dream of a day when beauty becomes real again. When the imposters are exposed for what they are, when the distorted perception of "real" beauty is set right. I dream of the day when True Beauty will be revered and celebrated and understood for what it really is. If the beauty we see on Earth, the beauty that arrests our hearts and makes us catch our breath, the beauty that makes us feel soothed and comforted, the beauty that inspires us to sing, dance, paint, write, create--if that beauty is in fact, beautiful--how much more beautiful is the One whom it reflects?
Beyond that, there are many things I hope for and dream about, things to which I aspire and goals I've set for myself. But I think I'll save those for another time, perhaps another place. Today, I think these few words capture the essence of what I hope for my future. So in closing, I'll say this: Thanks, Project 31 for making me dive into the deep mystery of beauty, and for helping me to come back up gasping for air while celebrating what I've found. And thank you to She Breathes Deeply for setting up the challenge!
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