Since I was a young I have avoided the camera...insecurity, wanting to stay hidden, a desire to be documenting not on display...
So when my co-blogger Maureen posted her Let's Get Real Post ~ (inspired by Shakti Mama) , I recognized it as an opportunity to allow myself to be... the raw and real me.
Recently my Luna had her eighth birthday and my husband grabbed this shot when I had just awoken (unaware of him) and was reading my beautiful card from her.
When I flipped through her birthday photos and found this one, my first thought was erase.
I immediately didn't like what I saw... that voice said too tired...to bare...not enough...
Then I stopped and caught a glimpse of Luna looking over me with her eager face and realized it was time to tell myself a new story...a story that embraces the truth and beauty of self love and commits to modeling self acceptance.
To quiet that voice of disapproval and embrace those parts of self that long to hide... I take the challenge.
Here is my let's get real photo...
the sweet words I was ingesting... (written all over my face)
to mommy
The resin I want to write this
is bekas how it rele hurts to
have a baby and I am so thancful
that you went throo all of this
hard wrk to let me into this world.
I want to tell you all Ive
oways wanted for my birthday
is love from you and to show you
how much to love you.
love Luna
I love you
~ These words stopped me to pause and appreciate the simplicity of love ~
on goes the challenge...
I see a girl that has that list of comparisons ready to be burned, a girl who aches to be enough... a girl who is ready to join into the sisterhood of radical self acceptance ~ not sure how ~ just piece by piece being gentle with herself...being gentle with others.
In the spirit of unconditional love
~ Shanti ~
been snapping photos of myself in hopes of not cringing when I see them--I looked for a photo to set a bio about myself I had 3 photos to choose from-sad!! love this post and the acceptance post-I don't know how to go about it but it NEEDS to happen
ReplyDeleteI've just discovered your blog and I'm glad I did! Wow - what a beautiful post. What a beautiful little girl you have. Your words resonated with where I'm at in my life at the moment. Thanks for sharing this part of yourself. In doing so you allow others to think about doing it too. Enjoy your journey. x
ReplyDeleteThis post brought me to tears, not only your words but the sweet words of your daughter. Oh how they love us so unconditionally, and we them. There is a thing or two to be learned from this unconditional love and how we need to apply it more generously to ourselves. I loved the photos of you by the way.
ReplyDeletelove to you !x
ReplyDeleteYep, teary here too. Seriously, your words,Luna's words - so poignant. I can see that Luna comes by her beautiful weaving of words naturally ;-) These wonderful photos also show where she gets her beauty from.
ReplyDeleteShanti, you are amazing, inspiring and stunning.
Oh my goodness, those words, they are beyond sweet! And the photograph is wonderful, so glad you kept it and shared with us too. Thank you for the reminder to be gentle not only with ourselves but with others also, then we can all feel a little more love!
ReplyDeleteI love you, Shanti! Just the way you are, and in all the ways you're becoming more...YOU! What a precious gift from Luna, those heartfelt words. So sweet.
ReplyDeletei love these pictures of you and especially the first candid shot. it reminds me of the pictures of my mom on bday mornings and i love those pictures of her the most. i am the picture taker, documenter in my family so i don't have any of these morning pictures of me... anyways, i think you're beautiful and your daughter??? omg... amazing. i hope to raise my son with so much awareness and love. i've been really enjoying your blog and am inspired to homeschool my son who is now only 3. blogs like these make me see the possibilities. thank you and keep on shining!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post again today. The love of our children is simply amazing in its depth. I look at my daughter all the time and marvel that she loves me without any limit or hesitation- it's the most awe-some gift I will ever be given. How we look to them is truly how we look- filtered by love and that's the beauty of our souls. I love this post! Thank you for sharing your beautiful, candid self!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful.
ReplyDeleteI love that shakti mama started this whole get real thing. I love seeing everyone's pictures!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that you don't like that picture of you. I think you look cute. I love your hair, especially with the headband, and I really love that mirror shot!
What a bright light of love and acceptance you are for your children by posting these beautiful photos... you can be proud of yourself, this is not an easy thing to do! Shanti, these photos of you paint you in a lovely, thoughtful light ! Cheers to you!
ReplyDeleteWalk tall and proud that you are a beautiful, loving,mamma!
light and love to you !
shanti~ those sweet words blew my away! what a treasure she is!
ReplyDeleteinteresting how we torture ourselves. reading your description, i knew those were the exact thoughts that would have come across my mind when i came across the photo of myself.....BUT looking at your photo above i see no reason in the world to erase it! it is a sweet tender moment with your daughter and you look nothing but radiant.
this has been a tough but insightful challenge for me. it has definitely pushed me WAY out of my comfort zone! so glad you outed yourself. ;) so nice to SEE you!
Sweet co-bloggin' partner and friend! That first picture of you is just beautiful...I hope that you can see the beauty in your face as you read those lovely words that your daughter wrote, (and the look on Lunas face is priceless)!
ReplyDeleteI never see anything less than a beautiful and radiant woman when I look at you! Glad you finally outed yourself! The funny thing is, after I posted my "let's get real" picture, I'm now not so quick to press erase...I've actually come to some peace with myself, and now I see ME...beautiful little ol me!! I hope you come to see yourself in the same light!
xo maureen
Another teary-eyed reader here! You are simply lovely; that first picture of you and yoru daughter is just precious. I loathe pictures of myself - maybe you can inspire me!
ReplyDeleteHow incredibly sweet...just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAren't children the most amazing things? They really DO make us better people.
xo
My fav pic is the early morning first one by the way...
Hello Shanti, Nice to finally meet you. Oh it is a beautiful photo - what a beautiful mama you must be to have a little angel right such sweet words to you. Aren't we all growing a little wiser every day!
ReplyDeleteAmazing...simply awesome...
ReplyDeleteif only we could always see ourselves as our children do...what a beautifully written card from an amazing daughter...truly a blessing in your life...xo
ReplyDeleteYes, me too...I'm crying. So lovely to read your words and those of your amazing daughter. I am participating in Shakti Mama's challenge and it has been good for me. Challenging...but that's how we grow.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I take pictures of my mum and my son she always looks at them and demands I delete them. One day I said to her, "Mum, you realize that if I deleted every picture you ask me too...that when Isaac is grown we won't have a single picture of you and him together from his childhood?" And how sad would that be? Yes, it's time for us all to find the self-love and live and breathe it. Thank you for sharing yourself with us. Your are beautiful. (Really.)
Oh, Luna's beautiful words touched me this morning. I still have tears in my eyes. I've followed your blog for a while, and I just wanted to let you know how glad I am to have discovered your space out here! Thank you for your beautiful honesty!
ReplyDeleteWarm hugs!
~Rachel
Here's the crazy thing... complete honesty: you look absolutely beautiful! Why? Because you look like a WOMAN. Not like a plucked-picked-painted-nicked-tucked-frosted barbie. When I see famous women, it is so obvious how FAKE they are and my heart aches for them. It is so sad to not feel pretty enough/good enough /thankful enough for what God gave us. Honestly, your pictures in the post: you are stunningly beautiful. No less. Thank you for being real. God Bless You.
ReplyDeleteJENNIFER
Mom to 8
White Oak, PA