I was thinking today about authenticity and truth as it pertains to the self. And in the midst of my thoughts I imagined being put on the spot and asked to choose between a Chanel bag and new ballet pointe shoes. If such a situation were to ever occur I don’t think there would be any difficulty for me in choosing. If someone put in front of me right this very minute a brand new pair of pointe shoes and a brand new Chanel bag and asked me to choose one, I would choose the pointe shoes. At least I’d like to think I would.
What could I do with a Chanel bag that would leave me feeling graceful and beautiful and genuinely happy in my soul? New pointe shoes would genuinely excite me. A Chanel bag would excite me superficially. With the Chanel bag it would be me feeling excited to have an expensive designer bag in my possession. The bag itself really wouldn’t mean anything to me other that what it represents as far as it being a Chanel bag. With new pointe shoes it would be me feeling excited to put them on and turn on some classical music and dance in my living room until my toes hurt. And then do it again the next day and the day after that. And repeat again for weeks and months until the toe shoes got worn out like my current pair.
With the toes shoes I’d feel as graceful as a gazelle dancing even while looking like a drunken donkey falling all over itself. I’d feel elegant and beautiful even while my face is none too prettily contorted in my determined attempt at imitating a real ballerina. I’d be happy. Because I’d be listening to beautiful music while flitting and floating (more like flapping and flopping) around the room. The little girl in me would be feeling mirthful and gleeful. I can’t see a Chanel bag making any woman feel that way. But I should speak for myself.
A Chanel bag cannot move my soul. So I want to think that, if I were being authentic and true to myself, I would say no to the Chanel bag if I was put on the spot and asked to choose between a Chanel bag or a pair of new toe shoes.
What about you? Given a choice between a Chanel bag and something related to a passion you have in life, what would you choose? There’s no right and wrong answer. If you’d choose the Chanel bag that’s perfectly fine. But only choose it if it’s what you really want. Don’t choose it because you buy into the idea that having an expensive designer bag makes you special.
Stay true to who you are…