Identity

As I sit down and put my fingers to the keyboard, the scope of my emotions is almost beyond words. At present, I am overwhelmed with pride, sadness, gratitude, love, and above all, an overwhelming sense of Identity.

I just saw a few minutes of a new broadcast. It was an in-depth look at the modeling industry. The reporter followed a few girls around New York City for a few weeks, interviewing them quite candidly about the way things work in the modeling industry. What I saw on this television show in just a few short minutes astounded me. These young, let me tell you young girls live a life that they seem to somewhat enjoy, but it makes my stomach turn thinking about the way they live. They don't know where their next paycheck is coming from, they starve themselves to be thin (or use other substances), and their entire self image is bases upon how much money they can make from a photograph or how frequently they get booked. Most of all, what broke my heart was to hear the stories of numerous models using their precious bodies to get ahead. One young woman told a gut wrenching story about being persuaded to participate in a sexual situation to get a photo shoot signing. I will spare you the details that she shared, but needless to say I was sick.

I know that things go on in the world that are awful. I know that there is little respect for our bodies and almost no respect for the sanctity of intimacy between a man and a woman. But to see it so raw really pulled at my heart strings. I feel so very very grateful to have a sure knowledge of who I am. I don't need to be a size two or have my picture strewn about in the media to feel good about myself. I know that I have come from a loving, glorious, wonderful Father in Heaven. I know that my spirit can remain beautiful and strong, even when my body fails and becomes weak and unattractive. I have the most beautiful, precious gift of having a wonderful, amazing loving husband who also sees this. And, together, we have used the sacred gift that God has given to man to create the most beautiful little boy. To me, in my life, he is the embodiment of everything good in the world. I am so much happier at home with him, changing poopy diapers and looking into his eyes as I rock him to sleep, than I could ever be at a job where my peers respect me and think I'm so accomplished. No greater love and sense of pride can be felt than by that of a mother and wife who loves her family and nurtures them with pride and love.

This sense of knowing who I am can be traced back years and years to the teaching I received as a young girl. I have since felt a great, calm and overwhelming reassurance through personal experiences that I am in fact a daughter of Heavenly parents and that I have infinite worth in God's eyes. But these words have always spoken strongly to me and seem fitting for how I am feeling tonight.

We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love him.

We will stand as witnesses of God, at all times, in all things, and in all places,

As we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountablity

Good Works

Integrity and

Virtue.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation. 

What a sweet, peaceful reassurance these words bring to my soul.