It’s much easier to be drawn to something visible, something we can see. We rely so much on our eyes, especially when it comes to looks, appearance, and what we define as beautiful. We may have (without realizing it) minimized or disabled other senses in how we appreciate life.  We describe things we don’t like as weird, strange, odd, and so on. Yesterday, a friend of mine shared her story, which made me stop and think about how automatically it seems for us to pass judgment based on what we see.  Here’s her story, in her own words …

“What makes you strong? Does it come from outside of you or from within? The other day someone asked about my hairlessness. I’m always happy when someone does because there is otherwise little need to “put it out there” or lead with it in my daily interactions or Facebook posts. I don’t want people to wonder, but there are better things to talk about (and, well, it isn’t all about me.) But September is Alopecia Awareness month, so I will.

When I told him it was hairlessness as a result of Alopecia, he asked (I LOVE the choice of question)… “how has that made you stronger?”

This was my response:

After ALL of my hair started falling out February 3 years ago, once I figured out what it was and knew I wasn’t in mortal danger, my perspective focused. It was this:

1)

I will be a role model for all of those who feel their god-given traits are not enough, or their “imperfections” need to be covered up. I don’t wear a wig, in part for this reason. I won’t pretend I’m something I’m not. If you DON’T think I am a whole (and gorgeous) person exactly how I am, that is NOT a reflection of me, but—I’m sorry—a reflection of you.

My free spirit wants to be able to jump in a lake spontaneously or do an impromptu back flip without worrying if my wig will fall off horrifyingly.

I know who I am, and I don’t need hair to prove that. I DO wear a hat/scarf most of the time because a) my head gets cold, b) I look to be a role-model not a showpiece, c) it’s less distracting, my focus is on you.

My commitment to health and growth comes from within, as does my true beauty and perfection.

2)

In an article published in the Life Chiropractic College West newspaper I shared this: we all get to choose our story. Could I look back and say IF I not had the insane amount of stress from chiropractic school this wouldn’t have happened? That I could have done something differently? Absolutely. But I choose this story: That sacrifice—which too is a GIFT in MANY ways known and unknown—is worth it a million times over for the dramatic and life altering shift I have and continue to make in so many people’s lives as a result. The work I do and the person I am, could not be without the stress of the Chiropractic program that brought me here. This “Alopecia” is a badge of honor, battle scars from the feats of achievement, my gift to humanity.

And now, symbolically, stripped of the features so often used to identify and judge one another on the surface, there is nothing but heart and soul and spirit—the connection of our humanness, and the part of us that is beyond it.

We all choose our story and the meaning we assign to it. How you hear yours is your choice.

This message is bigger than me and bigger than any condition. If you are inspired by this message, or believe sharing it could help others, please do so.”

#beautyfromwithin #whatmakesyoustrong # AlopeciaAwarenessMonth #livingyourinspiredlife #ingemaskun