I felt most honored when publisher Jan Lundy invited me to submit an article on “Celebrating the Feminine”  for one of her magazine issues.

My first thought, “No. Not me. I’m far from feminine.” My internal reaction was pretty strong to this, including the inclination to refer her to other writers.

You see, to me when I think about it, “feminine” represents frilly clothes, lipstick and makeup, manicured nails, pedicures, regular beauty salon visits, special lingerie, undergarments and much more. [Note – Photo is NOT my bathroom] Even the dictionary affirmed this, when I double-checked. They added “feminine” hobbies to the list – “sewing and cooking” as examples. OK. So I knew that’s certainly not Jan’s focus.

I, thus, stretched my thinking a little more to reflect on nurturing and mothering. Despite the fact that I do “nurture” others, often, on many, levels, I still go back to my reflective statement of many years ago. I wasn’t the “milk and cookies Mom.”  My husband would often pack the cereals, canned good and the “goodies” whenever they drove back to college.  I finally reassured myself, during those times, that our two sons turned out great.  I must have done something right.

As my thoughts continued, pondering Jan’s invitation, I started thinking of my body, equating it to the “feminine.”  Of course, I do have all the “female” parts.  Does that make me feminine?

Jan had also suggested, in her note to me, that I might have one or more photos for making a photo essay. Not a surprising request, since she knows me mainly from my photography and my commitment to inspiring  “Seeing with New Eyes.”

I then began to reflect on the recent self-portraits I’d been taking recently for two different courses I was in.  Turning color photos into black and white was the context for one of the two. Where some of the participants found the portraits challenging, I was pleased with the freedom I felt around it. You can see examples from the series on Self Photos.

I had started doing videos last year of me speaking my business or on things I loved.  It was quite awkward for a long time.  Then I got my iPhone. I started having fun with the camera, particularly loving the feature where you simply push an icon and the lens faces you. It’s especially fun when I am talking on my hands-free, speaker phone handset.

Over time, I’ve noticed I’ve been less concerned with the “perfect” look. Ironically, as I’ve become relaxed about it, I’ve started looking better and enjoying and appreciating myself more.

What if, being “feminine” were simply being ourselves, fully allowing ourselves to be however we are and however we’re not, accepting and loving ourselves completely?

Then by writing this article sharing my whole thought and artistic process here, I AM Celebrating the Feminine me.  I invite you to do the same for you! Thank you, Jan, for seeding this breakthrough for me.