One of Those Women

One of my favorite films is Exodus with Eva Marie Saint. I think she was a lovely woman, gracious and graceful. Someone once described me with those words and I don't think I'd ever felt so complimented because it's what I'd like to be. I know a few women who remind me of this. It shines out of them in every way, from their carriage and expression, to they way they treat perfect strangers and dearest friends.

 More than anything because of the quoting of this
"I shouldn't want you to become one of those  women who drift through life, 'Fair to no purpose, artful to no end, young without lovers, old without a friend.'...Places don't mean anything, only people are important."

Life brings lessons, and occasionally I need a refresher course. 

So 

-willing to sacrifice

-loving and caring (there may be a valuable distinction there)

-gracious to others (That deserves an essay for gracious can be giving, forgiving, understanding, empathetic, genuine or... un-judging. How frustrating that the only direct antonym for judgemental is uncritical. I think there ought to be a word for it. My family often uses unassuming in it's place. I like that description and the meaning we attach to it. Not only modesty, (not assuming honors to oneself) but also not assuming faults or falsehood in others as well. 

-forgiving of self. (Sometimes we make a drama of our own mistakes, carrying them out in a way which lowers ourselves further, prevents us from helping others, and sometimes exhausting the emotional resources of others. 

Grey

Violet and gold.  Perhaps pain truly can bring out the best and most beautiful at times. Not the self inflicted, nor the self indulgent, but pain that must naturally flow. There in that struggle some of the brightest lights shine. 

Resilient.

Sometimes we forget that we are all just people. The crowd is clamorous and strange, yes, when taken as a crowd. And we hardly behave the same way in all circumstances. One adjusts, finds their peace. But crowds are made of individuals. "Every person's life is worth more than 20 minutes." 

So don't fear the crowd, and don't cast them unkind. 

They're just people as you and I.