My wonderful mom was full of advice when I was growing up:
“Don’t call boys!”
“Always wear clean underwear in case you’re involved in a traffic accident.”
“Sit up straight.”
“Don’t put money in your mouth; you don’t know where it’s been.”
Life-changing? Yeah, right! But there are some things I wish she’d told me back then that would have really done some good.
* Life Truth: Where you sit at the lunch table will not decide your success or failure in adulthood.
My entire high school existence was based on trying to fit in, and nowhere was that more horrifically apparent than in the school lunchroom, where 33 of my best friends tried to squeeze into one popular table that had 12 chairs. It was next to the boys’ table, where all 33 of them seemed to share one brain, and it was mainly focused on food and sports, not us.
The “cool kids table” was really a symbol of my trying to get everyone else’s approval to feel accepted. I’d do almost anything to fit in, and some of my choices weren’t so great. (I have the prom pics to prove it. Whoever said Lee Press-On Nails and all those sequins and hairspray were cool?)
I really didn’t learn my lesson that popularity is meaningless until I came back for my high school reunion. I had moved to California and thought since I was so “famous” (actually just acting a bit on some TV shows, nothing fancy), that I’d have some magical movie moment where I appeared with my fake tan, highlighted blond hair, and, yes, sequined outfit. The smoke would part, and everyone would start applauding because of how awesome I looked and would want to be my friend.
Guess what: Most people were in jeans and button-down shirts. Yep, I was way overdressed.
No one seemed to notice my “entrance,” and it finally hit me that I didn’t need to care what my friends from high school thought. I had only strived to prove something to myself, and it really wasn’t worth it. I realized that I did have a great life, and it was mainly because I had found Jesus as my Savior! I was now walking with God for real.
He didn’t care if I wasn’t wearing designer labels, because He loves me just the way I am. He provided a good college for me to attend, and I was pursuing my dream of performing in L.A. with a great church and wonderful friends who shared my values. Why didn’t I just strive for that in high school?
Do you know how much money I would have saved on glitter and hair products? Take it from me, it’s OK to want to look good, but make looking good on the inside your priority. That’s what lasts in the long run, and that’s what truly brings the right kind of success.
