Judging a Book by it’s Cover

“Judge not, lest ye be judged” Matthew 7:1-5.

I’ve never wanted to get a tattoo of actual text, but that’d be the one I’d get! When I was a teenager, I struggled with depression and quite a rollercoaster of emotions – so bad my behavior made psychiatrists think I was bipolar, which thankfully turned out to be just teenage angst that I soon grew out of. During that phase of my life I was deeply criticized for the way I did act when I could muster the confidence or happiness to be around people and not sit at home in a hole. The ones that accepted me weren’t the ‘popular’ kids. My friends and the people that accepted me and loved me were the people that were in the same position as me. The ones that weren’t ’normal’. The kids with mohawks, the kids that were homeless and couldn’t afford to take showers, the kids that struggled with poverty, the kids that didn’t wear the name brands. Those were the people that LOVED me genuinely for who I really was. The ones that saw past every material element that most people judge on first impression. The outcasts, the weirdos, and the FAILURES. THOSE were the people that lifted me up, those were the people that were BEAUTIFUL to me. People that others shunned and treated like garbage, had the most beautiful, raw and open hearts ready to love. Isn’t that amazing? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying those others ones DIDN’T, I’m just saying what I observed in the ones that weren’t expected to. I’m not perfect, and I know we can’t ever be, but sometimes I wish I’d just bite the bullet and tattoo this on my arm (or forehead?! ;) to remind myself of not only to not judge others when I have a plank in my own eye. To see the good in people, to remember we all put our pants on the same way. That we all are worthy of love, we are all beautiful souls and deserve prayer.

Taking this in a wedding related direction…

I’ve been talking a lot to my friend, Leann, of Whimsical Floral Design (a fellow floral design friend) about authenticity. I think that also goes hand in hand with loving and appreciating someone for who they truly are. In the wedding industry, we design beautiful spaces, and setup scenery for photographers to shoot — perfect spaces, beautiful people. There’s also this notion that in order to be a successful wedding vendor, you have to put across this image of what you see in the wedding magazines, so that you attract those clients. But, then there’s the idea that we must be our authentic selves and show our personality. But, ohhh, don’t be too much of yourself. What? That makes no sense! I think it’s important to not only have a beautiful website that’s professional and all that jazz, but you also want to show YOU. Because a client needs to understand who they’re hiring. I think it’s important to share what kind of person you are so the client can connect. I think a good brand is where your website and your internet presence is exactly the person they’ll expect to meet in person. because if the two don’t match, that’s where brands fail.

I don’t really know the purpose of my post other than to say, regardless of what you’re doing in your life, be authentic & be yourself!