Years ago, the end of 2011, I came across a call for essay submissions for a project sponsored by BYU Women's Services, themed Recapturing Beauty. So I penned ashort essay and tried my hand at a poem for good measure and submitted them. Not long after, I received an email saying they wanted to publish my essay in their book. Time passed and graduate students in charge of the project came and left and every once in a while I would follow up with no concrete information other than they were still looking at the possibility of publishing it.
Fast forward 3 or so years to now. I received an email from BYU Women's Services regarding the book, "Why I Don't Hide My Freckles Anymore," published by Deseret Book (also available on Amazon). Because I was a contributor, they had a complimentary copy of the book for me in their office. What a surprise! What a fun title!
I was shocked! I almost wondered if they had my address wrong. It had been so long, maybe they'd made a mistake. When we were at BYU for the Hope of America, I stopped by the office to pick up my book. I joked with the woman (who was the editor of the book) that I hoped my essay was really in the book. She said, "Oh, I remember your essay, about the rainbow. I really like it. And here's your copy."
And sure enough, there was my essay and a warm, fuzzy feeling settled in my heart. I must admit, after several recent rejections, seeing this short essay published, 3 years after submission, was a very, very nice surprise.
Here is Rachel, modeling the book in Deseret Book.
Seriously though, I am really looking forward to reading this book. The messages are short and sweet, exploring the true definition of beauty. You can read as many or few as you have time for. Nothing but uplifting inspiration and validation will come from reading "Why I Don't Hide My Freckles Anymore." I wish I could buy a copy for every beautiful person I know.
Side note/Tip:This book would make a fantastic Mother's Day gift. One reason is because it doesn't focus on being a mother. Contradictory?
Being a mother is a noble and wonderful person to be, but sometimes it is quite overwhelming to contemplate how vast and important the responsibility is to be a mother.
I just erased two paragraphs here and realized I need to have a whole separate post about the pressure of Mother's Day. Let me just say, a book on loving yourself for the beautiful person you already are would be a simply magnificent gift for any womanon Mother's Day. And I'm please to have my name in there somewhere.
And here is the poem, even though it's not in the book :)
RAINBOW
An arch
Of splendid color,
crescent shape spanning the sky,
heavy with moisture, like diamonds.
Its unabashed beauty lies not purely in its shape or reflection
But in the beauty of the One
Who created it.
Beauty in the
Reflection of
His light.
WORLD
The world
Would have beauty
Defined, as a rainbow, in
Mere shape, color and reflection
Of profession, accomplishment and reputation.
And so, like the rainbow
The world’s defined beauty
remains always just
Out of reach.
SPIRIT
Authentic, real beauty
Is inherently ours, for it resides
In the essence of our Creator.
We, who carry within us the reflection of the Creator
Of His glory, power and love
Are beautiful because
We are
His.
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