Red Shoes

The Red Ballet Shoes by xxkattieer

The Red Shoes happens to be my absolute favorite children's story. Yes, it is indeed a children's story. It also a children's story that hasn't had any terribly popular "happy ending" adaptations. In fact, it has even become the inspiration for a Korean horror film by the same name. 

I doubt I'll ever understand fully why I always loved this story more than others. Originally, it caught my attention as a kid for the ballet. But even later on in life, I still remembered the story so well and still feel a fondness for it to this day. 

In actuality, it is a great story to warn children about vanity. And about dressing appropriately for church. 

So now I'll present to you the original format I discovered this story (except imagine it on a little television, recorded onto a video tape). 

Empowered by:

M81 Spiral Galaxy. Ultraviolet image from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer.

This is more or less a response to a couple of posts I read on another site. The themes of these posts are what make you truly beautiful and feel empowered.

Because true beauty isn't genetic. It's in your actions, your values and your belief in yourself. Sure, there is a lot of outward beauty, but I've come to learn first hand that if you don't allow yourself to embody something beautiful the rest of the world will frequently turn blind to your outward beauty.

For me, I feel empowered by my beliefs.  I believe that everything we receive is what we've earned and that if we dislike it we always have the ability to evaluate ourselves and improve. I also believe that our hardest times are our biggest gifts, because that's when we're given the biggest opportunity to shine with our greatest light. 


I believe that we all have the power to embody the beauty of the universe. We just have to believe it to be there and to be 100% possible. 


What's important to keep in mind is that we will not all have the same path to empowerment. My belief in the power to overcome yourself and situation is certainly shared by others, but the value I place in it is my own due to the events in my life. For some people, empowerment and beauty may come through the unconditional love of their children or spouse, or through an indescribable need to be there to help those around them, or through the sense of freedom gained by running miles at a time. 


My question to you is: What empowers you?

Dreams

I love dreams. I have all sorts of dreams. But as I've just started watching "Camelot," I'm reminded of a dream I had once. I don't exactly remember when, but it was definitely within the past couple of years.

I dreamed I had gone to Avalon. I had wandered off from my family, I think. And so I was housed by a couple of wise witches who did their best to help me get back. They advised me not to eat anything and although I was certainly enjoying my time there playing in the fields under a golden sun and magical sky they warned me when my time was almost out. They told me that if I stayed too long, I would never be able to go home. Yet I stayed and lingered, until the worlds seemed to collide and when I looked out from the window in the house I could see my family waiting for me. Time was short, and the witches hurried me out the door back to my family before it was too late.

This dream felt so real. So very real. My memory of it may have faded for the most part, but it was a brilliant dream that I do wish to hang on to to the best of my ability. I don't mind if people think of me as foolish for perhaps believing that the soul can travel while our bodies slumber or not believing that reality can only be shaped one way.