Since Tyson learned that hitting the round red button records his favorite shows, my DVR has been full of Suite Life on Deck, Supah Ninjas, and Bakugan Battle Force Umpteen- or whatever it is. Last month, I decided it was time to reclaim my box and make space for my favorite shows. Particularly, Glee.
Yes, yes, I know. There is something truly unsettling about teens breaking out in song. I'll be the first to admit that there have been some hit or miss moments with the music. Um...what were they thinking covering Rebecca Black's tragic auto-tuned wonder, "Friday"? If you don't know what I'm talking about- conisder yourself lucky. I forgive them because it's entertaining T.V. Week after week, Glee has delivered some truly hilarious moments. Sue's epic "O Fortuna" meltdown. Enough said. Although the writers of Glee explore topics that have been uncomfortable for me, it's been good because I've learned to attach real people to some of my prejudices. Usually, I come to an episode of Glee wondering what hilarity will ensue and what's the next twist in my favorite story line (Yay, Finchel! ).
I came to the episode,"Born This Way" with the same expectations, but was pleasantly surprised. God used Rachel and Quinn's insecurities to begin a conversation with me that was long overdue. This video below is of a mash-up featured on the show called, "I Feel Pretty/ Unpretty". It's a montage of pictures of the actresses, since the actual footage is copyrighted, but you can view the whole episode on Hulu.
When the first song in this mash-up, "Unpretty" came out, I was a socially awkward teen who hit the jackpot- I made my high school's drill team. After years of trying and being told that I couldn't do it, I was now a part of an elite group. We were graceful, we had our pick of the boys, we wore super cute uniforms with cowboy boots and a sassy hat, we could do both splits, we were high school beauties. We were even better than the cheerleaders! We were the TCHS Stingarettes. So, why when I heard this song at 17 supposedly at the top of my game, sitting prettily at the top of the social ladder, did I feel completely, totally, unequivocally, unpretty?
Today's Media Monday will actually begin a four part series on beauty. It's been on my mind a lot lately. The same insecurities that tormented the 17-year-old Osheta, wreak havoc on me now. It's spring and as the weather warms and the hems inch higher and higher, I'm reminded of my Wright family curse of childbearing hips supported by sturdy thighs. The junk in my trunk that have assisted in keeping me warm during the frigid New England winter doesn't look too cute in last summer's shorts. The heat causes my acne to flare up and now I have to pay attention to my ugly feet. I used to pride myself in them when I danced. People "oohed" and "ahhed" when I would flippantly say, "oh I just came from dance class- that's my major you know... dance" then when I threw out the magic word, "ballet" and suddenly, my ugly feet became a source of distinction. Even though people forgave (and frankly didn't care about) my feet, I still hated them.
So, up came the defense mechanisms. 'Oh, I just have dancer's feet' was one my comforting mantras to ward off the wave of insecurity and self-loathing I almost always felt when I took a good look in the mirror. Comforting mantras. The things I would tell myself to make me feel pretty, when I so clearly did not think I was pretty. When words failed me, I would buy clothes, study style magazines, or get a new haircut to give myself a pretty boost. This past May, I did just that and instead of letting me to rely on a quick fix, God allowed me to get an astoundingly hideous hair cut that forced me to face my insecurities and bring them to him. My quick fix and my comforting mantra to make me feel pretty fell short. Having been throughly ripped from my beauty blankie, I wonder, what are quick fixes and comforting things you tell yourself to make you feel pretty?
This is the question this song asks us to consider and the beginning of our series entitled, "Shear Reflections: What One Horrible Haircut Taught Me About God." The series will begin tomorrow with a sordid story of a well-intentioned hairdresser and thinning shear violations. For the rest of the month I'll discuss the lessons I learned in the aftermath in four parts:
Part One: Embrace The Truth
Part Two: Embrace The Funny
Part Three: Embrace The Stereotyped
Part Four: Embrace the Beauty
So this week's Media Monday is more the beginning of a conversation on God's truth about our appearance. This song is a great starting place for that discussion. Comments are so welcomed and will make this series come alive. I'll have a media resource as well as a book or Scripture for deeper study to recommend with every part of the series. So this month, let's talk. Let's talk about physical beauty. Let's talk about our influences. Let's talk about our responses to those influences. Then, let's talk about a God who believes "pretty" is a gross understatement for us. To him we are beautiful.
I feel pretty.... excited,






