Look Alive

30 March 2011

Mommy See, Mommy Do... Better

When it comes to a couple of this week's news items, Mum (or some guardians' decision to remain so in the face of healthy childrearing choices) seems to be the popular word.

Recently, clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch marketed "push up" bikini tops to the young girls of their "kids" line. When met with a harsh public response, they performed a bait-and-switch, removing "padded" from the name as sales of the merchandise continue. As I read further, thoughts of the earlier breastfeeding doll resurfaced.
"Greedy Baby" (c) 2009 Berjuan

Almost every living thing learns plenty by watching and practicing what registers to our senses and spirits. Girls and boys see bigger ones and want to wear what, walk how they do. Similarly, qualities or items appeal to men and women, then we somehow conform to be part of them, so the idea of children pretending to suckle babies is neither vulgar nor new. Many peers and I did so at least once back then. Sure, we mouthed our own sounds and didn't need aptly placed nipple flowers to do it. But in our current digital age of access and selective transparency, should we decide to feed virtual pets or the like, an app could probably 'help' us.

Of the many things children could be doing, then, continuing to play with dolls on occasion isn't that bad. An 8-year-old brandishing a pout of Botox, however, seems to leave nothing to be desired in its particular pursuit of making her larger than the Life the Almighty gradually infuses us with. All the focus on mammaries and no 'mommies' in these fashions is not very flattering; possibly making for plumped, if not dull, girls. Considering the varied 'flaws' that come naturally to every person and piece of produce, hopefully, we will learn to imitate and feed upon a better Way for the children within and around us.

B(elieve)-Girl...

As women's history month draws to a close, I encounter great quotes from notable herstorians. Among the inspiration to post this morning is an interesting dream I just had and what emerged as its connection to certain Biblical women's stories.
I was the 'newbie' invited to headline a major show along with some great vocal sisters. Their glamorous, sometimes combative world was not my own in many ways. The odd woman out, I barely had the chance to interact with anyone and just resigned to any area of least concentration to meditate on what I would perform because I had no idea how I even got to that arena, much less how to finesse it. What I did know is that I would do my best to edify the Lord and let it be.  
On the way back to my room after a survey of the space and preparing for the show, someone stopped me in the hallway and gave me a card that read something having to do with "pink" and "rue". Huh? Was this equivalent to a sad sip in a highbrow New Orleans gourmet shop or something? I accepted the card with a humble "thanks" and continued on. An old friend appeared at my door about as randomly as I arrived on the scene, offering encouragement and, oddly, a kiss on my right foot before I awoke.
While that wasn't the strangest of dreams I've had in this life, it did make me a bit curious about the keywords. I turned the TV on for a moment and happened to catch a glimpse of a theatrical production about Gomer & Hosea, which then brought to mind another story of earthly redemption involving Boaz & Ruth. Besides the more familiar "herb of grace" affiliation, I was pleasantly surprised to see the new thing my search returned: a pink dolphin (!) photographed by a certain Capt. Erik Rue. OK. Sense was finally being made.


Possibly gliding with family, I learned that the young albino dolphin's hue had nothing to do with what little girls are made of but was the result of blood vessels alive beneath minimal blubber. Not only could the longwinded version of me appreciate less fat, I'd simply never seen such a sight before. In keeping with recent themes, I am reminded of their colors' early significance to many of my generation's lady hip-hop lovers. If you know, then you know pink and grey are for "H.E.R." all day. More importantly, though, the big picture is that God delivers joy and compassion with the new things He alone orchestrates of Life daily, even within and through strange or rough waters. Regardless of gender, color and our situations, He is a mighty Redeemer! B-girls and b-boys alike need only believe and behold the beauty of such a gift with sincerity. P(e)ace.