The girl I once knew
Heart matters

The girl I once knew

I once met a drunk girl, in a random, crowded night club bathroom. She was beautiful. And drunk. Did I say that yet? We both were. We hit it off like only girls can when they are intoxicated, swearing to be “best friends for life” and declaring “girl power” and “viva tequila” and all other sorts of nonsense that makes sense when you are inebriated. The following morning, I found out that the girl had been in a car accident, en route home from the club, and had lost her life.

My brief encounter with her left an indelible mark on my life. I mean, I had no idea who this girl was. As sentimental as I am, I did not think that a strange drunk girl, in a random, crowded night club bathroom, would effect me the way she did. To be honest, I knew nothing else about her, besides for the fact that she was beautiful and, clearly, friendly.

I did not know if she had any children or if she even wanted to have kids. I had no idea what line of work she was in, or if she was one of the many unemployed young people of this country, or if she was a student. Heck, I didn’t even know her age!

I didn’t care to ask her about her family history, or the type of man she wanted to marry or if she even wants to get married. We didn’t talk about her favorite fashion designers or series or whether she eats as much carbs as I do.

She was just a stranger – a beautiful lady in a random, crowded night club bathroom – who I instantly clicked with because we both recognized the woman inside of each other. That night, I learnt the art of being exactly who I am meant to be, whether people like it or not.

The girl I once knew – the old me – would have been okay with, you know, watering myself down to suite other people’s needs. I mean, who wants to stand out like a sore thumb? Who wants to be the person that everyone is gawking at? Not me. I had too many self-confidence issues, anyways. I wanted to blend in as much as possible.

But a chance meeting, with a stranger, in a random, crowded night club bathroom, opened my eyes and showed me just how short our moment on this earth is. I mean, when you witness a beautiful life here today, gone tomorrow you realize the value of time. And I don’t have the TIME to be caught up in negative feelings of inadequacy and unforgiveness. I don’t have the TIME to be anything or anyone other than who I am called to be! And I don’t have the TIME to do anything other than what I’ve been called to do. Tomorrow is not promised, what are you doing with today?

So this Woman’s Month, I’d like to encourage you ladies to be okay with standing out, if it means you are being true to yourself. Be okay with going against the grain of your family’s history and tradition, if it means you’re being who God called you to be. And be okay with MOVING ON, when you need to. Your past and your failures do not determine your worth, your purpose or your future. Find out what God has called you to do, and pursue that wholeheartedly.

WIN
These pics were taken by my very talented blogger friend Yolandi Barnard of Styles by Yolandi, as part of her Woman’s Month campaign. Landi is giving away a prize to the value of R2000, yo! To enter, simply head on over to her blog and pair up these ladies with their descriptions. Good luck!

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