The Stephanie Files

Something that seems to be a huge subject in my life these days is the subject of being independent.  Or, as it has been phrased on TWO different occasions this week alone, the subject of being an intimidating woman (because apparently the two are one and the same). I guess at the end of the day, the word intimidating baffles me.  If you look it up in the dictionary the literal meaning of the word is to frighten someone.  Do I scare you?  What is the point of telling me something like this?  Are you somehow hoping that this revelation will cause me to change my personality for you and level the playing field so you aren’t so worried about having to possibly step up to a challenge? I do not understand why being someone who has their life together is so scary for people and truth be told it makes me feel slightly misunderstood.  I don’t care much about other people’s opinion of me but I kind of felt that maybe it was time to clear up a few misconc...

I have learned a lot about love in the last few years.  Mostly it has been what it DOESN’T look like and what I will accept in my own life.  Then you have weeks like the last few that I’ve had where you get a glimpse of what love really is.  My dad passed when I was too young to really see my parents as more than just parents.  I know they loved ME, and I know they loved each other but when you’re entering the dreaded teenage years you don’t necessarily pay attention to the intricacies of your parent’s relationship.  That is something I wish I had been able to witness as I got older, but God had other plans for us.  What I HAVE been able to see and appreciate is the relationships I have now.  I was able to see my best friends, who waited until they were in their late 20’s and early 30’s get married.  I am blessed to be able to go to their homes and interact with them and their spouses and see how much love has changed, pushed, and mol...