Wisdom Imparted by My Friend Shantay

"I'm a paradoxical girl who alternates between 'wash & wear' and 'dry-clean only.'"

That's my friend Shantay's quote that she's letting me share. She’s great at coining phrases that fit us both so well. Thanksgiving 2000 Shantay, about five of our friends and I got together for 'Thanksgiving dinner with friends,' and went around the table saying what we were thankful for. Everyone had something deep and sincere to say..."I'm thankful for everything we have, the food, our friendships, a roof over my head etc., etc." When it got around to Ms. Shantay, she said, 'I'm thankful that I'm a girl and I'm cute.' And she added that she’s able to trace a lot of what she has in her life to that simple statement.

We laughed. It sounded so superficial at first. But, after giving it some thought, we realized that it's true. Not just because she's cute, which she is, but because that cuteness gives her confidence and that confidence radiates, brighter than her shiny blonde hair. Now, every Thanksgiving, in addition to the obvious, I repeat Shantay's sentiments, "I'm thankful that I'm a girl and I'm cute."