Love Your Blog: Ugly

A few years ago I had a conversation with my mum about what direction I might take my career once my kids grew up a bit. I was toying with the idea of returning to law or alternatively, doing something creative. I wondered out loud if I might be able to do something useful with my law degree, compared to pursuing art and craft which I've always had a passion for but which might seem a little frivolous. 

My mum said that she felt the world could probably have too many lawyers but never too much beauty. It's a comment that I've not forgotten and I think she's right. We shouldn't underestimate the power of beautiful things, images, places and people in our lives. These things are to be celebrated and encouraged. I'd go so far as to say that they're essential for our well-being.

I know I'm a hopeless optimist. Plus, I've been flipping my language to sound positive since I first came across the idea when my first baby was a toddler. I've been trying to say "yes" and look at things from a positive angle for so many years it's become habit. 

So when I heard that this week's theme for "love your blog" was "ugly", I was a bit stumped. I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to say. Ugly isn't a word that I tend to use. 

To be honest, I'm still not entirely sure what I want to say  - but these things have occurred to me:

• While I don't think that everything made by hand is beautiful, I don't tend to think of handmade things as "ugly". If they don't appeal to me I usually say to myself that they're not to my taste or they're not really my thing. I do think however that the act of making things by hand is beautiful. It's glorious and wonderful and I love it.

• I try really hard to take good photos. For me it's art. So when you see photos on my blog or my instagram feed remember that. I'll try and show you even the yuckiest thing in a beautiful way. But this is not how my real life looks.

• When I'm feeling vulnerable I can be quite unnerved by photos other people post. I'm only human. Sometimes I wish my real life did look like a beautiful instagram feed. (These thoughts often occur to me when I'm surrounded by loud, bickering children. Beautiful instagram feeds and blogs are so deliciously quiet.)

• Mostly, I try to remind myself that no one is perfect and not to judge a book by it's cover. I simply can't believe that it's only me that has challenges and struggles. We're all just icebergs, with a whole lot going on under the surface and sometimes that stuff is down right ugly.

• Finally, when you really stop and look around there isn't actually much that is truly ugly. There is however an awful lot of beauty. It's all about perception.

If you want to check out what other bloggers have to say on the topic of "ugly" this week - check out A Playful Day for links.

p.s. That's my new shawl design dangled over the fence. It hadn't been blocked when I took the photo and I was still nervous about whether I'd like it. I'm pleased to say that I've since blocked it and I'm thrilled with it. I can't wait to show you.