Becoming Like Angelique

  I was at a baby shower yesterday for my beautiful, sweet sister-in-law, Dayana. I was talking with some of her friends, girls that I didn't know, when a woman made her way up the sidewalk and then came inside. She came to the shower a bit late, and as she was coming through the door the two girls I was talking with exchanged enthusiastic thoughts and remarks about how much they loved this woman. The girl sitting immediately next to me said, "I am so happy you get to meet her"! They told me she was the most beautiful, the most wonderful person they knew. They both said they want to be just like her now and when they grow up. They described how she makes you feel like you're the most important person in the world within minutes of meeting you.

My interest was obviously piqued. Who was this woman, and what was so amazing about her? I learned that her name was Angelique. That name, they said, was perfectly fitting of her elegance and exquisite nature. Not only was she amazing, they told me, but she had the three most beautiful daughters that were just like her. I tried to watch Angelique as nonchalantly as possible throughout the course of the shower. She sat across the room on my left, and I made quick, inquisitive glances whenever I could. What I saw was this: A woman that was tall, feminine, and womanly. She had loosely curled long blonde hair, and little makeup. Her long skirt and top were elegant, but very simple. She was natural in her appearance and mannerisms. She smiled. She laughed. She listened. She was warm and genuine, and full of sweet joy, and just like the girls had told me, she really was angelic.

**The day of the shower with some angel-like women.

 Also,  Angelique took this picture :)

  I was reminded of a story I once heard about a young boy that loved a teacher of his. He would rave to his mom over and over again about Miss Payne and how beautiful she was. The mother actually tired of his comments about the lovely, perfect, Miss Payne. The mother was surprised when one day at the grocery store her son tugged on her sleeve and whispered, "Mom. That is Miss Payne".  This beautiful woman her son had told her so much about was there, and she was surprisingly very ordinary. She wasn't slim and well dressed and stunning like the mom had envisioned. She was a very  normal looking woman. The mom was touched when she realized that Miss Payne's beauty was a beauty from within that radiated in an obvious way to those that knew her. She was warm, loving, and genuinely interested in the people she knew, and that was perceptively beautiful to her son.

Now, my new friend Angelique was actually physically beautiful.  I don't mean to take anything away from her appearance, because she was lovely inside and out. Her look was elegant and effortless. She was feminine and soft, yet simple and un-fussy. As I spoke with Angelique later on at the shower, however, I felt the truthfulness of this quote that I have loved for years:

"The Holy ghost inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features. It tends to health, vigor, animation and social feeling. It develops and invigorates all the faculties of the physical and intellectual man. It strengthens, invigorates and gives tone to the nerves. In short, it is... Marrow to the bones, joy to the heart, light to the eyes, music to the ears, and life to the whole being." -Parley P. Pratt

I want you to think about the people in your life that you adore the very most, the people that have made a lasting impression and influence on you. People that have genuinely touched your life. What was it about them that impressed you so much?

The people I love and admire that stand out in my mind have these things in common:

- They are unique and comfortable being unique.
- They think and care about others.
- They ask questions and then listen.
- They remember things about others.
- They do the best with what they've been given.
- They are inspiring in the unique way they live their life.
- They smile.

**This is my dear friend Natalie Affleck- literally one of my very favorite people I have ever met. Period. I want to be just like her as a mother, and woman of God. As kind, loving, and focused on what's important as they come.

Two other quotes come to mind,

"He who loves the most and the longest, wins."
and
"He who smiles first, wins."

Three weeks later, and I still love to think about Angelique. I love to think about how I can be an Angelique- type person. I want to make people feel loved, and comfortable, and embraced. I want to have a light, wise, kind and elegant nature that people can see and feel. I want people to feel like I truly care about them, even after our first, short conversation. That lightness doesn't come from anywhere but within. I think we can foster feelings of love, patience, understanding, and genuine care for others, and then we go about and practice. We take moments to put our phone down in the preschool pick-up line to talk to another mom. We make eye contact, smile, and thank the cashier at the Target check-out. We tell our friends they are doing a good job and we compliment others when they have success. We can all become our own, unique, beautiful version of Angelique- and we can all do it in our own way.

**The girls that literally sustain me in my life here in Corona. Such diverse talents and strengths and bits of wisdom in this group. I feel like I am in good hands with these women. **Big apology for the horrible quality!

 Who do you know that sounds like Angelique? What was it about them that made such an impression on you? I would seriously LOVE to hear your thoughts.

**My women. These women LITERALLY made me who I am, and I am sure I could create lists of people who saw them as an Angelique in their life.

Disclaimer: There are many women and friends I didn't include that have touched my life significantly.