Food For Thought | Body Positivity and Fashion Confidence

Though I don't agree on some world views, something I've thought about is how lovely it is that people are supporting body positivity. It's so nice to be told that how you look, how you are built, is good enough.
Throughout history we've always been given standards of how one should look and a bunch of it is unrealistic. There's no way everyone can fit into the box of what is "beautiful." (Sometimes the standard is just little things to change, e.g. have thick eyebrows, or curly hair, or straight hair, and so on). But everyone is different, it's what makes us beautiful.
If I hadn't been born in this age I would probably be very self-conscious of my appearance. But as it is, everyone embracing that they are different, it causes me to see myself as enough, and to see everyone else as enough.

We also have entered an age (in my opinion) of fashion confidence. We are very free to wear pretty much anything. You could wear a cape and rock it! It's nice to have the freedom of expression through clothes. Everyone is allowed to have their own different styles.

Sure, there will always be haters. But the only way to change the world is to make the change yourself. Be the example.

A Fairy Tale

Once upon a time there was a lovely maiden named Delilah. She had many admirers and proposals of marriage, but she soon became tired of the whole business.
So, one day she set off up the mountainside to see the old wise man who lived there. The hike took a whole tiring day, and as she reached the very peak she finally caught sight of his home. It was a meager, pleasant hut. Outside it basking in the sun was the wise man.
Delilah walked forward, introduced herself, and explained her predicament. The wise man listened patiently and when she had finished he cleared his throat. "I'll give you advice... for a price." "Oh! Of course!" said Delilah. She yanked a gold tooth from her mouth. "Here." The wise man gingerly took the tooth from her outstretched hand. Then he whispered her the advice (though there was no around for miles to hear him). She thanked him and set off back down the mountainside.

The trip down proved to be more difficult then coming up, and Delilah was often in danger of losing her balance it was so steep. Suddenly Delilah did lose her balance and tumbled down for quite a bit till she managed to grasp a bush and stop herself. She had few injuries despite her fall, all but a few ugly bruises.

At home Delilah went directly to her bedroom and began putting into work the wise man's plan. She found her most colorful scarves and draped them about herself haphazardly. Then she ruffled her hair into a mess, and set off towards the village munching on an apple.

Where the village began there was a large oak tree. She climbed this and hid among the branches. Soon enough, a respectable young man passed by. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head and squinting at the tree. Another acorn hit his hand. "Delilah!? Ouch! What are you doing?" She chuckled and climbed higher into the tree. The young man shook his head and headed into town. Soon enough the rumor had spread "Delilah"s gone mad!" "Henry said she's acting like a squirrel!" The villagers gathered under her tree gawked, and occasionally got hit in the head with an acorn.
Delilah carried this on for several days until the rumor had been throughly spread of her gone crazy.
So she sighed contentedly, went home and lived in peace no longer plagued by suitors. Occasionally she got back the reputation of being "normal," but she always quickly fixed that with a stunt of some kind.

She lived happily to the end of her days surrounded by her beloved cats and bunnies.

The End

An Ode to My Mug

Many cherished memories stay with me, mug, though you can not. 

I remember our times of laughter, our times of sorrow. The time spent exploring together, rolling down a hill, breaking my arm, and you, dear old mug, only you, there to comfort me as I winced down a steep incline in the middle of the night. We were convinced coyotes were following us, which turned out to be true. 

I remember as we swan across rivers, leaped over chasms, and sang merry rounds (though, I admit old chap, your part was always a bit weak), and how you so tenderly cared for my many coyote bites in the hospital. And, oh, I fondly remember what style you had. With your flower patterned china, and odd rubber top. But it was your odd rubber top, old mug. For all these things I mourn your loss. But through these tears I will fondly remember our thrilling adventures. Rest in peace, good old friend. Rest in peace.

Tales be Told

The clouds were black

And heavy with rain

The day that Rumpelstiltskin came.

He came for my child,

My first-born,

He claimed that I'd been fairly warned.

He gave me a riddle,

I'd guess his name.

Otherwise, the child he'd gain.

He leaned over my child

As I searched my brain

Hoping t'was not all in vain.

I remembered.

The tale my mother had told,

A little man who spun straw to gold.

He and that man of "fairy tales"

Must be the same.

I knew Rumpelstiltskin was his name.

I'd won the riddle

fair and square

Still all of you should beware

Of a tiny man

His games unfair.

But only because of the "myths" I'd heard

Did I win that jest

With just one word.

Rumplestiltskin

Food For Thought | Sharing the Things You Love

I enjoy sharing things I like with friends. However, there is a wrong way to this.

Say you wish to share a favorite musician with someone. If they say they've never heard of the musician, don't get angry at them about it, or belittle them ("OMG, how have you not?! You have like no taste!"). How is that ever going to make someone want to listen to the music you like? It is definitely okay to be excited to show someone new music (and also accepting if they don't like it, people are allowed to have opinions), just don't make them feel bad for never having heard of the musician.

The next thing is, if you have gotten them to share an enjoyment in the same musician don't make them feel bad for not knowing things about the musician. If they don't have all the facts it doesn't make them less of a fan, or make their enjoyment of the musician invalid. If you bother them about it or they'll just feel bad for liking them in the first place. If you kindly wish to share a fact about the musician that is fine. Don't attack them for not knowing something or making mistakes.

And lastly, don't attack someone for enjoying something in a way differently then you do. There is no such thing as liking it "the wrong way." The musician does not just belong to you. Everyone is allowed to enjoy them. For heavens sakes, just let people enjoy things.

I had to learn some of these the hard way, either being the one trying to share the things I loved with people, or people trying to force me to like something. Don't be that person. It makes you want to like something even less.

Thanks for reading my rant, and dealing with me still learning to write. I'm trying to figure out how to get my thoughts explained in the most sensible way.

Have a lovely day!

Sapphie M.

Introduction

Well, I suppose I owe ya'll an introduction.

This place is for poor me, who is having a bit of a struggle learning to write.
I said to myself, "Let's make this fun," so I created this blog. We shall see if this helps me in any way, shape, or form. The part that is meant to make it fun for me is the freedom. I'm not here to write just stories, or thoughts, or opinions, or ideas, but everything and anything. I have no plans, no outline, no theme. Just whatever I want to do.

This may or may not end up as a blog with several authors. If that does happen, I expect them to write introductions for themselves. Remember that.

As long as I'm making my future (maybe) co-authors write about themselves, I'll make it fair and introduce myself. As I like. So this may or may not be a bit fictitious. Also I might change in the future. I may as well exercise my freedom.

Greetings! My name is Sapphire Meadows. My hobbies include trying to write, unicycling, and, as of last week, whittling. I find my energy through being with people (AKA, I'm an extrovert) and will rarely turn down an invitation.
On quiet days you will not find me, because there such as a quiet day for me. So, on a normal day you can find me doing this and that, but when I'm free, curled up on the couch with a book (usually by Diana Wynne Jones- my all time favorite author) munching on an apple. There are apple cores scattered throughout my house, since whenever I read I eat an apple. Future plans for me are to make the world a little brighter in some way or another, and to spend my days with numerous cats.

So. There you have it.

Farewell.

Sapphie M.