It's a no makeup day. It is a rare occasion anymore that I leave the house without makeup. It's a part of my routine. I am in no way a makeup artist, but I think it does add something to my appearance; it makes me look (or at least feel?) more professional and alert. Even on more casual days, I almost always wear makeup. Putting it on means I'm ready to go--I'm committed to putting my whole self into the day. Recently, the only times I haven't worn it was when I knew I'd be out in the heat and humidity too long for makeup to do anything besides run down my face.
But there have been other times when I've consciously chosen not to wear makeup--times where I've felt so good that I knew I didn't need any outside assistance in being ready for what was ahead. Perhaps surprisingly, one of those times was on a first date. It was with someone I was just getting to know, but everything about the way things were progressing just felt so good and natural. It wasn't that I wasn't nervous or felt no need to impress this person, but I felt good about myself--even as we went through the bumps of getting to know each other. It was natural, and I didn't want anything to interfere with that--not even a light touch of mascara.
Today is a no makeup day. It's vacation, which might be explanation enough. But I think it's something more. I'm in Hamburg--a place I've been a handful of times before. I don't know the city that well, but I've always liked being here. It's a place I could see myself living--as much as I can see myself living anywhere at this point. I love popping into the grocery store (a one minute walk from where I'm staying) and being back in 15 minutes without having lost a significant amount of time or energy. I love how lush and green everything is here. I love that I spent Sunday afternoon biking in the dress and shoes that I wore to church--and that I didn't stand out in the least. Sure, these things are not unique to Hamburg or Germany or even Europe, but on those occasions where so many small things like up to make you feel good and natural and free, it warrants a no makeup day.
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