The Picture is Still Developing
Ever taken a Polaroid picture?
You get all cute and strike your pose and then out comes this blank laminated paper. Now, if you didn’t know any better, what would do? You would think you had made a mistake. You might think the camera was broken or maybe even throw it away.
But then something happens. Little by little, the grey begins to fade. Only a few minutes later, an image starts to appear. Then finally, after what seems like forever, you can see a beautiful, complete picture.
I’m sure you can track where I’m going with this……but humor me and read on.
Galentine’s Day was a bit different for me this year. While it is always a celebration of womanhood, self-love and love for my fellow sisters, this year I was celebrating those things while going through a divorce. That’s right; this year, required me to love on myself just a little bit more than usual and stretch myself to celebrate.
I faced the logical questions of why did we get here and of course, where do I go from here? And somewhere in there, I dusted myself off enough to get dressed, get out of the house and take this picture with my friend. This, dear reader, is when the lightbulb went off.
As I stared at this grey, undeveloped piece of paper, waiting for what seemed like an eternity to see how we looked, to see did it fully capture what we wanted it to and were we positioned right--- I realized it’s LIFE!
Right now, I’m rebuilding my home, relearning my daughter and restructuring my life and my boundaries (another topic for another day) and it kind of feels like that polaroid. Some days are just a little grey. But spoiler alert! My story doesn’t stop here! I’m being developed and the beauty is coming!
Life is a journey, constantly moving and where I am is NOT where I’ll end. If I threw away the “picture,” right now, if I gave up right now, if I stop expecting right now, I forfeit everything that’s on the other side of the wait. The beauty, the complete picture, the masterpiece is yet unfolding.
My picture is yet unfolding.
Who will Alexis be 5 years from now, 10 years from now? When the grey from the divorce fades, there’s beauty waiting for me and IN me and I can’t to see it!
Let me encourage you. If you’re in that place, where it’s a little hard to see beyond the disappointment, the frustration, the closed door, take heart! This is that small wait, before the portrait starts to come together. Someday it will all make sense. You WILL see your smile again.
Don’t confuse your “now” with your NEXT! There is MORE in store for YOU, too!