Life is Mysterious… I love Lucy
I would like to introduce you to a very special person in my life. Her name is Terry, but, on occasion I affectionately call her Lucy. Terry is unlike anyone I have ever known, which says a lot because I have traveled our country and made friends with people from all walks of life and faith.
Terry, however, beats her own drum. She is not someone you would typically say is “cool”. She is not a trendy dresser and probably does not know the name of one single designer. She only wear skirts or dresses of a modest length below her knee. Her hair is kept long and uncut and on most days wears it pulled back in a braided bun. Her appearance has had people ask me if Terry is Amish or Mennonite – she is not.
She is a very accomplished cook and makes most everything from scratch. She even makes her own flour! It is no secret that I love to cook but I have no clue how one would go about making their own flour. Do you take a wheat stalk to a grinding wheel? All I can say is I will not be making my own flour anytime soon, but, my friend Terry does.
Imagine No T.V.
Even more interesting to me than the fact that she makes everything from scratch is that she has not watched a television show or seen a movie since the 1980s. She and her husband own a television and he watches it on occasion, but, she chooses to not watch. Sometimes I forget that she does not go to the movies or watch television and I will talk about something I have seen recently, only to realize she does not know the program I am talking about and has no clue of the actors in it.
Shamelessly, I am someone who loves television and movies and would probably win a trivia game when it comes to Hollywood gossip. In fact, there are a lot of things about Terry and I that are different yet we are friends. Maybe we get along because we’re both clumsy and a little air-headed – hence her nickname, Lucy.
I had to let her know I wanted to write a column about her, more or less to get her approval. When I told her, she laughed. At first she said that there was nothing to write about. And then she said, as she laughed louder, this time with a faint snort, “Oh no, your going to tell everyone about all my Lucy moments!” I assured her that her Lucy moments were safe with me, but, truthfully her’s are no worse than the time I was frantically looking for my phone as I was talking to my husband on the very phone I was looking for.
Lucy moments aside, I have had the pleasure to see Terry interact with people of all ages and everyone she meets instantly falls in love with her, including young people.
What’s a Kardashian?
For all practical purposes, Terry, a middle aged woman, does not seem to be someone teenagers would have anything in common with. She knows nothing of the Kardashians or any other modern pop culture icons. She does not own a pair of Air Jordan’s. She does not tolerate bad language or bad behavior and she even sings silly songs. Yep, by all standards, teenagers should not want to hang around Terry. Except they do. In fact, they love Terry.
Terry is unique. Everything she does is done with love. She follows her heart and she wears her heart for everyone to see. Her smile is infectious and it can light up a room. She sometimes snorts when she laughs and she laughs a lot.
If Terry tried to pretend to be someone she wasn’t, it would come off as fake and the one thing she is not is fake. If she acted like someone who loved the movies or had her hair cut in a modern style it would not be her. If she wore fancy jewelry or kept up with the latest trends it would not be her. If she did things just to impress other people she would not be true to herself. Simply put, Terry would not be Terry and everyone loves her just the way she is.
Terry, quit frankly is the coolest not “cool” person I know!
Authentic is…
I have long held the belief that if you live true to yourself and let the real you shine, others would see that light and be drawn to it like a moth to the flame. Terry further proves that being authentic is attractive. It breaks down walls and build bridges.
I am not saying that we should all wear our hair long and not wear pants. Nor am I saying we should no longer watch television or go to the movies.
I just find it refreshing in a world that judges people by the home they live in, the cars they drive, the clothes they wear or the career they have that a pure heart can still outshine the biggest diamond ring.
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”- Matthew 5:16
The next time you hear someone say I love Lucy, think of Terry and remember to be yourself. You just never know who you might attract. Life is mysterious.
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