Sitsope Sepenu

You know, sometimes, you read something and it just puts a smile on your face - maybe because you relate to it, maybe because it reaffirms a feeling you've always had, or maybe it's because it depicts the lives of real people. For me, today's Message from a Listener does all that and more. It was sent in by Sitsope Sepenu. She calls it The Hard Truth.

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I have three sisters whom I love and adore beyond all imagination. Growing up with my elder sister, Selorm, I was this skinny little thing and always threatened by my mum that the wind would carry me away if I didn't eat all the food I was given. Self confidence was clearly not one of my best traits and to make matters worse, my introvertish nature was misunderstood by everyone who said 'Abigail ya dewokp)na edokui' meaning 'I see myself' hihihihihi.

Obviously there was a massive change from my skinny little thing status to a plump young woman-mind you the dictionary definition of plump is 'sufficiently fat so as to have a pleasing fullness of figure'- in other words, well endowed. This, however, was not a solution to my self esteem issues.

Now coming back to my sisters; It takes Selorm less than a week of moving to a new area to make friends with the entire neighborhood. I have been living in my current neighborhood for close to 3years now and only the old woman who keeps a grocery store in the area knows me by name.

Hmmmmmm...... Let me talk about my youngest sister, Dzidzornya. Ever since she was just a little girl, she says a word and everyone is rolling of the floor with laughter. Not like she's exactly the happy-go-lucky type but it's just a delight being with her- a trait she picked from my dad. I'm not boring ooo but it can be really hard sometimes getting people to 'flow' with me like that.

Now to my immediate younger sister, Mansa; let this girl wrap a rag around her body and stand in front of the camera. The image that comes out is nothing short of the work of a super model. I tried my hands at a photo shoot last week and how did the pictures turn out? I'm a size 12 but the images that came out look like a size 16. How!? All in an attempt to strike a pose, I arched my back sooo hard it pushed my bust out 3 times bigger (Peace Hyde sef no come) Eiiii warristhis?

But these pictures taught me one thing; some things are for some people only-THE HARD TRUTH.

I have always asked myself; so what is unique about me? Looking at how I have pointed out traits in all 3 of my sisters, what would someone point out about me? Now, make no mistake, I'm a very confident woman with the whole world at my feet- but I have always wanted to answer the question of what's outstanding about me.

Today I have the answer and it is 'I DO NOT KNOW' and it does not matter.

I was in the company of some ladies recently who when asked to pick one thing they would rather change about themselves picked the very unique features  that I admired about them (scars, diastemata [gaps between teeth], and forehead sizes among others).

So let me ask you; what is it that you hate about yourself or what is it that you would like to find about yourself? Stop the worry and end the search. You might not see it but others do and you would only make it shine brighter by being yourself. You are the best version of yourself because God made you in His flawless image.

After I accepted THE HARD TRUTH about what I am not and what I cannot be, I have made room to accept the best thing about me and that is me.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us - 2 Corinthians 4:7.

We were created by a perfect architect with so much treasure in us that all our imperfections are rightly so, to show forth the power of God. So put your best foot forward, strike a pose and be yourself. God is counting on it.