Let’s Get Mediocre and Screw. Up.

A couple of months ago I was at a conference with many other women. I sat there listening to the conference speaker in my outfit I had agonized over, with my embarrassing,  ponytailed hair that  really needed to be cut, and worried about my appearance.  (Because really, it IS all about me. All. The. Time.) As I sat there with all the other shiny, pretty mommies, my blood ran cold when I heard the speaker say:

“Pull up your right pantleg.”

Uh-oh.

“Now take your left hand and feel the woman’s leg to your right.”

All the shiny, pretty mommies groaned. We were BUSTED.  As I reached over and felt the girl to my right’s hairy calf, and as mine was felt up as well, I thought, “this is kinda hot!” “Yay! I am not the only one who haz ugly!”

The speaker then went on to say that we  shiny, hairy mommies had just participated in the “ministry of mediocrity” – helping others by showing our real selves.  Wiping off the lip-plumping-diamond-shine-hydra-gloss and puckering up with our skinny, dry, cracked smackers.  She said that when we show others our imperfections, they can better accept their own.

The be-atch had a point.

It made me think of a good friend with whom I have playdates.  We’ve decided to betrothe our two-year-olds (really, arranged marriages just eliminate so much of the worry!) so we get the kids together so they can start getting to know each other. This girl and I are both terrible housekeepers.  I love going over to her house and seeing cheerios and three-day-old shredded cheese on the floor. It’s like Christmas!  She’s giving me a gift by being just as bad or worse at housekeeping as I am.  And you know what?  I am as comfortable in her mess as I am in my own. We can relax, celebrate our epic failure, and have a good time together.

(Exhibit A: the current state of my living room floor)

So do me a favor, blogosphere.  When I see you at BlissDom or BlogHer, and I stick my hairy legs in your face and ask you to feel them, will you obligingly do so and then show me a hairy pit or a chin hair?  Don’t be a tease, I know you’re not perfect.  Let’s compare uglies, get comfy, and party!

Come on, now…I showed you mine.  Will you show me yours?

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There has to be some law against being that gorgeous even with a ponytail and hairy legs… anyone? No? Well, it’s a good thing for Jenny, then, because she’d be in the lock-up for sure. When she’s not too busy being so damn cute, she spends her time Mommin It Up! with her cousin Emily. Hop over!