Apparently I am in good company (with Miss Glinda the Good herself), because I have the same problem. Don't try to deny it. The proof is in the pictures.
HAHAHA! Now all you will ever see when you look at pictures of me is a vein. That's OK. Apparently you need them to live. They take blood to your heart or something important like that ; )
I also have a bit of a lisp - and sometimes when I don't where my contacts a lazy eye. I honestly remember watching the video from when I was in the Jr. Miss Pageant and suddenly bursting into tears because I realized that I have a lisp...and a giant vein that divides my face in half. Don't laugh. It was a very traumatic moment at the time. Welcome to being yourslef, Katelyn Michael. I think I had been living in denial for 17 years of my life.
The point is - everyone has things that they wish they could change about themself. There are two types of imperfections: The ones that you can change and make better and the ones that you cannot because that is the way you are genetically programed to be. If you are bitter and upset about the things that you CAN change, you are foolish because you can change them! If you are bitter and upset about the things that you cannot change, you are foolish because you cannot change them.
This is true of everything in life, not just physical attributes. I was talking to a friend last night about how almost one year later - yes, I am openly admitting online that next month I will reach my one year home form the mission mark, I still feel awkward at times. Not that I want to be in the mission field or am stuck in the mission, although I do miss it dearly. I just have never felt as put together and on top of things and in control as I did before my mission.
I think it is because I have been stuck in a constant phase of transitioning - transitioning from the mission field to being home, transitioning from home back to BYU, trying to transition into Grad School and work. It has never stopped. I think I came to a life changing epiphany last night: the imperfections of life never go away once you become an adult. The transitions never stop. That is what life is: A constant phase of transitioning and dealing with trials and imperfections.
I heard the following quote form Gordon B. Hinckley years ago. It says...
"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he's been robbed. Most putts don't drop. Most beef is tough. Most children grow up to be just people. Most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration. Most jobs are more often dull than otherwise.
"Life is like an old-time rail journey — delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride."
At first I thought to myself, WHAT A DEPRESSING THOUGHT! President Hinckley was an eternal optimist. How can he think like that? Now, years later, I realize how truly prophetic his words are. The scriptures tell us that we are meant to have joy, but that is all eventual. Along the way we will have a lot of hard times. The gospel is meant to help us through the hard times, and not to take them away.
We are not meant to live in ignorance and be happy go lucky like I was before my mission. We are here to experience things and go through trials. I guess we should all just accept that and move on and help each other. Happiness is not living trial or stress free. It is knowing that even in your trials God loves you and everything will be alright in the end. Come what may love and love it, right?
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