Family Heirlooms

It was time for the gown.  The pageant had an intermission so it was the first costume change that wasn't rushed.  I took my time changing into the purple velvet and silk Oscar de la Renta gown that was once worn by my mother.  It was a beautiful deep purple and oh so classy.  I was not done-up like the other girls in sparkly, showy gowns with huge slits up the sides but I was beautiful and i knew it.   I felt like a princess.

After showing the crowd the evening gowns it was time for the onstage question.  I was asked a question about my platform.  I said I would continue to write letters to soldiers over seas and told the audience where they could get involved operationgratitude.com.  I was then asked my opinion on SOPA and PIPA.  I used the first amendment to defend my answer.  My momma was thrilled.  I was proud for standing my ground in an environment where they questions were asked in a biased way and you knew what answer the judges wanted but I did not waver.  I gave it to them straight and smiled the whole time.

Obviously I didn't win the pageant.  I did win the swimsuit portion.  That made me laugh out loud.  I learned a lot about being in pageants.  I learned a lot about the purpose pageants serve for the people in them.

Pageants are pointless.  They hurt self-esteem, they make you feel that the plain old you is not beautiful, they make you cry when six strangers say that you are not the winner.  Who cares what they say.  Who cares what the world says.  I am beautiful just as I am because I am God's creation.  I am His temple and I do not need to adorn myself with material goods to make that so.

With that being said, it wouldn't kill me to put just a little make-up on once in a while!

Felicity