Diamond in the Rough

One of this week's challenges was to find a diamond in the rough. At first I went were it seems most logical, I had visions of finding some little treasure in an antique shop or second hand store, but as I went scouring through the stores I realized that it was kind of silly to search for physical treasures when in Aladdin, the true treasure was not physical, the true diamond in the rough was the spirit of a young man.

If I take a moment to really think about what the diamond in the rough is about the diamond that exists within, its the part of us, the part of existence that makes life magical. Just like Aladdin we all have been judged inaccurately, it seems to be the common thread amongst most people that we each have been told in one way or another that we are unworthy, unfit, and that we lack something to make us whole. We are told that we are unworthy of love, money, fame, joy and countless other things.

The problem isn't that we are told these things, the problem is that we agree. The ultimate truth is that we are all worthy, no one is born feeling unworthy, it is a learned trait that is spoon-fed to us from the worst villains there are, each other. We don't mean to do it, we just have adapted ourselves to the idea that we are lacking, so we teach our children about lack and it spreads like a disease and infects each of us with a sense of lack.

So, it is the agreement that we are unworthy where the “rough” comes from. It is the hurtful lies that we embrace that obscures the diamond within each and everyone of us. Discovering diamonds in the rough is easy, they are hidden within every aspect of life, the difficult part is unveiling or chipping away the rough from the diamond.

The first step to uncovering our diamonds is letting go of the lies we believe about ourselves. I'm fat, ugly, stupid, I will always be poor, life's not easy, the world is out to get me, there is no hope, I'm just not good enough. None of these lies speak about the truth of any person alive on this planet, which brings me to my own “rough” that obscured my inner diamond this week.

A Princess Revealed

I have seen Aladdin so many times that I ruined the first VHS tape I had by watching it too much, so when it came time to dress us as Jasmine, I should have been excited but the truth is I was terrified. The costume is lovely but it bares my midriff, a midriff that has carried three babies and has the scars to prove it. My tummy is not flat, and my hips are wider than the actresses and models that have become the standard by which most women now compare themselves with.

Never mind the fact that there is a huge illusion behind the images we see, there are tricks to lighting, makeup and extreme dieting, there is a profound part of me that is convinced that I am not worthy to bare my offensive midriff. How could I dare to reveal that there isn't a supermodel hiding under my cloths? I like many women have agreed, that not only do I not measure up, somehow my beauty outranks all my other qualities. Suddenly, my ego says, if they see that you have stretch marks they (whoever they are) will know the truth, I am not worthy.

Some people have thought that I was insane for going on this journey that I have but the true insanity is the fact that there is a voice that lives within my mind that could feel unworthy because I am me. This journey was meant to push me beyond my comfort zone, and it did, far beyond it, I hyperventilated and it took every bit of strength I had to walk out my front door. Most people didn't see the fear in my heart, they saw that silly woman and nodded like usual.

Out of all the people I encountered, there was only one person to make a rude comment, to point out my imperfections, to snicker with her friends quite loudly and crudely. I can't help but wonder, what lies does she believe about herself? What unworthiness keeps her up late at night? How deeply hidden is her diamond in her venomous rough and will she ever be fortunate enough to find it?

I sit here uttering a deep sigh as I examine the stretchmarks that mark the trail of three sons, the rounded belly that has been host to many a culinary delights and a body that is perfect in its own way. It is the personification of where I have been and were I intend to go, it is my vehicle to becoming the best me that I can become.

It is far too easy to believe in the lies that surround our own inabilities, shortcomings and limits when the truth is, our potential is limitless. We get wrapped up in the idea that we are limited by circumstances and circumstances have a funny way of fooling us into believing that they mark the truth of who we are and what we have the potential to become.

This diamond in the rough has full intentions of bursting through my comfort zone to discover what's on the other side. It is not from staying the same that we evolve to become better but through stepping outside of what is comfortable, it is in reaching further than expected that we learn our potential. I have no idea what my potential is, or what my purpose is on earth but what I do know is that if I never reach or extend myself I will never truly see the diamond that lives within me.