The Quiet Confidence of the Low-Maintenance Woman

Very recently (today to be precise) I read a blog post titled: “The blessings of being raised by a low-maintenance mother” by blogger, Brooke Romney, and it made me think quite a bit. However, it did not make me think about my Mom. It made me think about my female friends…it made me think how there is something reassuring and comforting in women who are not over-glammed. That something is confidence.

Like most women, I am surrounded by an assortment of different female friends. Many are dear acquaintances, some are co-workers and a select and precious few are close friends…sisters in the daily walk of life even if separated by physical distance. This article made me concentrate on all of them and on the art of friendship.

Being a friend is a calling and every woman needs them. We need all kinds of friends. We need the hyper bubbly and cheerful as much as we need the introspect and pensive. We need the adventurous as well as we need the cautious. At times we need the impulsive and go getters, and some others we need the planners and thinkers. We need the glamorous and we need the low-maintenance.

There is no right way to be a friend. There are just different types of friends. It all goes according to personalities. God created us all and as we discover, He has a gloriously diverse taste that moves Him to color this world with divine variety in everything He does. And with each variety comes uniqueness. It is no different in friendship. There are many ways of being a friend…but today I’m thinking of those who walk around displaying the quiet confidence of being low-maintenance.

In this supersized culture that surrounds me, I crave moderation. In this over-stressed and hectic road I travel, I seek tranquility. The pressure to be who I am supposed to be leaves me longing to just be myself. There are a handful of people I can achieve these desires with…and oddly enough…they are all the low-maintenance type.

My not over-glammed friends live their day-to-day lives firmly grounded on what truly matters and that gives them the confidence to postpone the glamour for the special occasions. They have the confidence to step outside their homes with lip-gloss, a pony tail and a smile. They have the confidence to embrace me at my lowest, and not be embarrassed of walking alongside someone in disarray. Their example teaches me the importance of the core…and that the core of humanity is the spirit. The way they conduct themselves reminds me how the riches of this world are not found in the material, but in the soul. They show me how making memories is more important than making money and how being present is crucial if we want to make a positive impact on those we love.

There are many ways to be a friend, and we all need a wide variety of different kinds, but today I dedicate my thoughts to the under-glamorized female. Their example is worth to imitate.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well. Psalm 139: 14