Today is May 13th, Mother’s Day. I want to do a special shout out to all the MOMS! YOU GUYS ROCK! It is also the last day of my second set of 40 Days and 40 Nights, a Lenten Season. Technically we are in the Easter Season. The Lenten Season ended officially on Easter Sunday. (For more information on this topic visit a previous writing piece titled The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways…) During Lent, I slipped and did the thing I gave up. Shopping. Had the event I attended occurred on a Sunday, then ALL would have been right with the world. I bought makup. In my mind it did not count as shopping, however, my friend reminded me that it did. To buy things that I did not NEED, was considered shopping. I agreed and made a mental note that if I were to choose shopping again next year, to give up for Lent, I would be specific as to what it included. I decided at that point to start the 40 days over, once the official 40 days were up. I did well. The 40 days were almost up, and then a little over a week ago, I attended yet another Makeup event and I slipped. Again.
 |
| From: Chanel.com |
Instead of beating myself about it, I’ve decided to make it a learning experience. Isn’t everything after all, a learning experience? I did learn a lot about the upcoming trends in makeup for the Spring and Summer seasons. I also got to highlight in my NEW Makeup Journal a quote that Chanel Makeup Artist Mario Penailillo stated, “Once you take care of your skin, makeup is easy.” I nodded my head in agreement. I’ve always liked the idea of makeup. I just never understood it. I would put colors on my face, but I never understood how to make it look like it was supposed to be makeup, AND NOT random colors on my face. In my twenties, I only experimented with lipsticks and mascara. It wasn’t until I sat down at a FNO event at a Banana Republic at the Trumbull Mall, with Chanel Makeup Artist Maria Moutinho at Lord & Taylor, that I realized just how important taking care of your skin really is. I was introduced to the Chanel Hydramax Line and fell in love with my skin. Prior to this I had been using over the counter, drugstore facial moisturizers. While they initially left my skin feeling hydrated and protected, it didn’t last long. I found myself wanting to put the moisturizer on several times a day. Over time I began to learn about the different pieces that fit the makeup puzzle and I can now transform my face into something artistic.
 |
| @Cpigrun |
The events I’ve attended, have taught me tricks, and exposed me to new colors and techniques. As Jackie said in a previous post, “You can Lift Your Spirits with Fashion“. It is also a fun thing to do with a friend. Cristina’s eyes really sparkled that day. If you’re not comfortable with makeup, its good to learn one product at a time. Buying everything at once is overwhelming and its difficult to remember all the information about each one. I will go over what I learned in an upcoming series.
For now, I want to say that while makeup makes me feel good, like shopping for clothes does, it is also my weakness. I lecture my niece about not being so attached to material things, as we cannot take them when we’re gone from this earth. However, I have not been taking my own advice. I cannot lecture her on her wants of expensive sneakers, if I can spend 26.50 on a bottle of nail polish. She pointed this out to me on Friday night. At first I was a little angry, who is she to tell me this. On thinking on it further, who am I to hide from a truth. I must practice what I preach.
Today, the 80 days are done. I can go on a shopping spree if I want to. I find that I don’t. I have a ton of clothes, shoes, makeup, accessories, books and I can go on forever here. I cannot take any of these things with me when I go. At the end of the day they are not important. We fall in life, to get back up, dust ourselves off and figure out how to not fall again. These last 80 days have strengthened my soul. My falls have highlighted the things that are important. We do not take our material possessions with us when we die and I ask God for strength to remind me of this in my weak moments!
Have any advice, tricks or stories to help me out on my journey to not be attached to material things? Share them in the comments below or on the My Pocketful of Thoughts Facebook Page.
