Things Aren’t Always As They Seem

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

I commit

So I had an interesting conversation with one of my teenage cousins this week. You see, I was looking at vacation pictures of one of my friends. Wait, let's back up a little bit. I'm Mormon. Are you suprised... Anyways, as some people might know we have some pretty conservative standards when it comes to clothing. Not that we don't wear swimming suits or anything crazy like that. But ours shorts and shirts are a little longer than most and our shoulders are covered. Cleavage hanging out isn't really something that happens either, not that I have a challenge with that.
Back to my story. So I was looking at these pictures and I noticed that every single women there had on these tiny little swimsuits on. You know the ones that might jump right off your body if you actually got in the water. Yep all six of them. Now I am a pretty modest person. So I called my cousin to see if that is just the way Mormons act these days. I was relieved when she told me that it wasn't. She herself has made the decision to only wear one piece suits, and she feels like there is no reason not to wear one piece suits. She says there are tons of cute ones out there. That gave me some hope for my girls.
This whole world of instant photo posting and facebook we get a look into people's lives. I have really been shocked with people lately and how they aren't living up to commitments that they have made. That sounds harsh. That's not what I mean. It just scares me that people that I know have made commitments to themselves and God are making choices that are different than what they believe. It breaks my heart when I see little baby girls dressed in things that you would never let your teenager out of the house wearing. Why is their little body worth less respect, it isn't cute, it's disrespectful.
Now if you believe something different than I do, more power to you. I don't expect you to live my life or my commitment. I don't believe that makes you or me a better person than the other. Anyone that knows me knows that I am not out to make people live the standards that I have chosen. See that is the point, I have chosen them, you have chosen yours. What makes me scared is that I am raising three little girls that will soon be teenagers. Yep all at the same time, I might need a padded room by then. What makes me scared is that there are people that they will know that have committed to the same lifestyle as them that will be not living up to those commitments. How do you explain that to a teenage girl? That other girls and even women that made the same choices as them are dressing in a way that isn't consistent with those choices. It's easy for me to tell them that other families have different family rules and we have ours. But what happens when those rules are supposed to be the same?? Oh the future is scary.

3 comments:

April said...

Of course you know I totally agree with you on all of this. We've talked about it before. It scares me with my daughter too.

Does a really long 2 piece tankini count as okay since it covers more than a 1 piece? ;-) You ain't going to see any pictures of me in it though!!

sandals said...

It's so interesting that you write about this. Our Young Women's Prez in my ward here took a bunch of the Laurel's to the beach and the YW Prez was wearing a VERY SKIMPY BIKINI (plus she just got a breast augmentation) and posted them all over facebook. Now, all the young men (that are already infatuated with her) can see them and all the young women can now say, "Really? At all times--in all things--and in all places? What about you, Sister______?" It's very disappointing and I'm worried about four daughters the same you are with yours.

Hannah Holt said...

Sometimes I'm glad to have all boys (so far). The energy level is a little insane at times, but it's nice not having the modesty issues in-house.

However, it does take the control away. I can't decide what their future prom dates will wear or the swim attire of their girl-friends. I just hope they chose to hang out with girls with high standards.