The Hat

I wore a hat for Easter.  I wanted to, and I did.  It turned into a much bigger deal than I thought it would be, but so be it.  I got the idea that I wanted to wear a hat for Easter because when I was little everyone always wore Easter hats.  Kate Middleton always has one on in picture and they are beautiful, so I wanted a fashionable one.  I told  my mom first who of course said, "Do what you want to do.  I love hats."  My mom has ALWAYS encouraged me to be my own person and if it is something I want to not let others opinions step in my way.  My Daddy probably contributed to my love of hats because my who life, when we would be in stores, if we walked by a hat rack, he would be like try them on, and if they were guys hats, he would try them on. Dustin has always loved it when I wore hats. He tells me I am "adorable" in hats, which every girl should be told.  Belk put out their sales paper and wouldn't you know...it had hats in it!  Mom and I went shopping and made our way to Belk.  There was a slight setback when a sales person told me they didn't have hats..I asked her to check because they were in the salespaper..and she was wrong.  They had 2!!  Mom and I made a beeline to them and I found "the hat".  Mom and I both loved it, as did the older lady who saw me trying it on and the new sales associate.  I found a dress to match at Maurices and the lady working there said she loved the hat idea.  Everytime someone found out I was wearing a hat I would get responses of "I would love to wear a hat, but I don't have the guts." "I love hats but I just couldn't do it."  I wore it Sunday and got mostly positive feedback, minus Jason who I knew would hate it.  I say all that to say this:  We care too much about other peoples opinions.  So many women told me they wanted to, but in a nutshell cared too much what other people would say.  Sometimes you just have to step out.  We let people dictate our actions, words, and sometimes thoughts.  Sometimes that is ok, but most of the time it keeps so many of us from reaching our full potential.  It effects how we interact and most of all how we spread the good news of Jesus Christ.  We are all so worried that someone might say something negative that we just don't do it.  I am guilty of it and I would bet you are too.  My hat was a small example that led to a much deeper thought.  So many women wouldn't put on a hat, that they liked, that did not have a negative effect on anyone else, because someone might say they did not like it.   Who cares.  Jason told me he didn't like it.  I appreciate his honesty.  I knew he wouldn't.  I didn't break down in tears and it didn't hurt me physically.  Who cares what someone else thinks.  I went on my way and so did he.  I kept the hat on and walked on.  Someone will disagree with you..they always do but it won't kill you.  I promise.  You can disagree and be different and be ok.  When you step out to be different you could lead the way for someone who has less courage than you and you could change someones life.  Will my hat change someone else's life..no.  But my stepping out to be different and spread the Word of Christ could.  Learning to care just a little less about people's opinions could make such a different in our day to day lives.  I am challenging each of you..what is your "hat?"