Sunday, October 11, 2009

Who Me? ...Selfish?

I totally agree with Laura's comment on my last post, and want to elaborate on it. Most people may think that being self-ish is a bad thing. I, however, think it is a good thing. This is possibly construed as a slap in the face of everything I was brought up with. Selfishness was always defined as a bad thing. I happen to believe that it is essential to life. Our very body processes are not designed for making another's life better, but to nurture and sustain ourselves. If we stop taking care of ourselves, then our body will go into survival mode. We are selfish beings from each tiny cell, to our organs, to our complete, selfish, magnificently functioning bodies. ...And our Creator made us this way! So, to go on along this line of thinking, how do we stay in fine tune with ourselves? ...By thinking positive thoughts and taking the best care of ourselves that we can. Pretty simple.

Well, it would be if we were taught that to begin with. ...And in all fairness, survival of the species does require a lot of sharing and helping others along too. A group that is moving together in the same direction can accomplish so much more than a single person alone. Our problem comes when the group dictates everything from our thinking to our behavior. Case in point: myself and the way I dress. I love clothing. I love making clothes. I love decorating them too. I love the colors and fit and style. I get excited over fabrics and fibers. ...And why not?!!! We all have to wear clothes don't we? Why not use our bodies as a place to hang art that expresses our moods and lifestyles? So, what is my point? Well, I live in a very conservative city, in a very conservative state.

As I look around me, I see people wearing the most popular brands (you know, the retailers with the biggest advertising budgets) . Think about this, these brands must be made to appeal to as many people as they can to flourish. This means nothing very unique or expressive in an individual sense. ANYBODY can wear the product. ...Except me. ...Well, I do live in a pair of Lee jeans. But after that, one never knows what I will put on that makes a statement about how I feel that day.

By the way, I finished the Holiday scarf. In fact, making it was so much fun that I had to make another very like it.