Letter Perfect

Ever since I was a little girl I've loved to read....especially fictional "fluff" books. To me there's something magical about opening a book for the first time. Adventure lives in those straight, even rows of black and white...places I've never been, things I've never seen, people I've never met. All this to say, I read a book a few weeks ago that really struck a chord in my heart. It was a typical, unassuming paperback set in that era when woman were imprisoned in hoop skirts, and horses were the vehicle of choice. The main character, Ruth, was hilarious - she had a talent for finding trouble and getting herself in truly awkward situations; yet, in everything she did, she strove to be perfect, hoping that society would accept her. I've lived a good part of my life that way, trying to shape myself into what I believe others want/need me to be...looking for perfection. As I laughed (literally) through the pages of this book, I realized that you don't need to be perfect to be successful. Y'all are probably nodding your heads saying, "well, duh...nobody's perfect," but sometimes it takes me awhile to figure these things out...so kudos to you out there. Anyway, Ruth had a beautiful soul and a true gift for making everyone's day just a little bit brighter...a unique, God-given ability and purpose that made her who she was. I'm still thinking about this book weeks after I've read it, and I continue to realize the full extent of this truth. We all have faults, we all have unique abilities...I can strive to be letter perfect, or I can let me be myself. So, I'm working on it now...this whole, letting go of misguided expectations for myself, and working a little more on just letting me be who God made me. Laura Marling puts it well in Rambling Man when she sings, "let it always be known that I was who I am"......I think the world would be a sunnier place if everyone realized this truth and rested in the fact that we're all unique for a reason. Much love, Keandra