True Colors

Every few months we get an orange slip in the mail from a place called the Arc of Texas.  The Arc is a nonprofit organization that "creates opportunities for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to actively participate in their communities and make the choices that affect their lives in a positive manner.” They teach individuals and their families how to effectively advocate for themselves and the people they care about. They also offer an array of effective trainings in advocacy, education, and independent living and have a wealth of knowledge on all aspects of interest to individuals and families of people with disabilities. What a great cause!

Well, we got another orange slip from the Arc in the mail about a week ago.  Adeline and I both had some beautiful clothes and shoes in our drawers and closets that we weren't using anymore. So, I spent several hours taking inventory of our closets and drawers and bagging up everything that we don't use anymore so that we could donate it to the Arc.  I ended up filling 10 bags.  Here they are sitting in the Foyer of the house, ready to go outside on the front steps for pickup.

Donation to the Arc of Texas

I felt very good about doing this as I know that there are many women and children who could use what we were donating!  But as I was packing it all up, something else came to mind.  As I evaluated all of the clothes in my closet, it became quite apparent that I'm a different person from the woman I was when I wore what I was bagging up!  

I shared this with my BFF and she told me that it wasn't likely that I've changed so much, but that my true persona was starting to emerge.  I think that she's right.  Yes, life events have caused me to change how I think about and do some things.  However, there are aspects of myself that I've kept inside that are starting to emerge.  I can't hold them back anymore.  Although the items of clothing and shoes that I was donating were very nice, they were just baggage left behind from the person that I used to be.  It reminded me of a caterpillar awaking in it's cocoon and emerging as a butterfly.

This whole experience was quite cathartic.  It made me see that my true colors are starting to shine through.  As with most change, I'm not sure that everybody in my life will approve of it, but I can't be afraid to let it show.  It will happen one way or another.

This song says exactly how I feel about where I'm at this point in my life:

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Like Cyndi Lauper said . . true colors are beautiful, like a rainbow.