How could painting a lion possibly change my mind. Well the lion actually didn't do it but my association with it did.
My daughter -- my independent thinking, never following the masses daughter, do everything her way daughter went through rush last spring and joined a sorority. (Say what?) Now the lion is the the sorority's mascot. Out of the blue, she asked me to do an oil painting of the lion mascot for her room at the house. I was shocked and very flattered.
This little project, this lion project led me to repentance (in the Greek "metomia" is translated repentance actually means to change the mind; change one's thinking) on some attitudes I have always held for the campus Greek life and cheerleaders and what I considered silly nonsense for a university.
I admit it. In college, I was a very serious art student and career minded. My little group of art students called these sorority girls "bow" heads and looking for "beaus" and the frat boys were "beau meat." Back then girls all wore cute little bows in their hair and at Baylor these rich girls had their nails and hair done every single week, all perfect figures and perfectly groomed every single day. They only wore clothes from Sachs 5th Avenue on Franklin Avenue. Now I was a very broke college student but had I the $$ maybe I would have attempted to join one. So it was a little class warfare in play on my part. Couldn't join 'em, make fun of them. (I repent.)
My observations of my daughter's soroity has exploded that image for there are girls of all sizes and all backgrounds. Maybe times have changed.
No serious women who are career oriented would never spend their time on such nonsense, I thought. In my life, I have found that every single thing or person that I have passed judgment on has come back to make me eat my words (a biblical principle of reciprocal judgment). And that is what is happening today.
What I have learned is this. Every single person has different needs. Not everyone would benefit from Greek life but some do. I have come to see that my daughter "needs" what an association of girlfriends can do. It is kind of like the education of the lion's pride. This "pride" ... the group can teach each other and help a very shy girl come out of her fears. In the days ahead she will learn how to work in and for her group -- team work. She will learn how to talk to and sell herself to strangers and the imporance of personal image. All of these skills are vital in the business world.
How wonderful it must feel to be a part of a group who really is committed to developing lasting relationships. That is really a good thing. It is okay to conform so long as you don't lose your soul. In fact, non-comformity in the extreme is as damaging as total-comformity. The secret to living well is balance.
Make no mistake, where there are human beings gathered together, there will be relationship problems and many challenges but for my daughter I see that this is absolutely needed, and I am really thankful that she joined.
I'm learning a thing or two too. I'm learning to be softer and more tolerant. I'm learning to be less serious.
As the girls are going through the rigors of fall rush and in all the excitement, to my daughter I say -- "you go girl!" -- I'm 100% behind you!!!!
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