Everywhere I look there are people running here and there. Wherever I turn, I see an ocean of suits, suit coats, ties, i-pods, dress shirts, coffee cups, i-phones, dresses, skirts, designer bags, cell phones, purses, snazzy ballet flats, dress slacks, fashionable coats, mobile phones, scarves, trendy boots, this and that gadget phones, high-heels, and stilettos. I feel like a fish out of water. I have been in London now for about 19 days and in all my wandering, attempts to find my way around this city, swinging by Big Ben and Buckingham Palace, and hours spent walking around lost, I have only seen about 3 people total wearing tennis shoes (I am included in the count) and although it is the middle of fall, I have only observed one other person wearing a hooded sweatshirt, the rest have on something far more expensive and stylish to keep them warm. I think I am in the middle of the biggest culture shock I have ever experienced, even though I am in an English speaking, developed nation.
I had no real idea where my flat was when the rental possibility opened up, but I did know it was in a “safe” neighborhood, close to a tube station-bus stop so that I could get to my university classes without too much difficulty, and the price was right (thank you God for providing me reduced rent through connections with a former Mercy Ship’s Doctor). Since arriving in London, exploring a bit, and watching the reactions on people’s faces when I tell them where I live, I have learned that I have landed in one of the wealthiest, exclusive, posh districts in Central London. I live on a street lined with designer stores, and I am mere minutes from Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, and Buckingham Palace. I am so blessed, but I find this entire situation comical because fashion, brand names, and external appearance and status are the last things in the world I am interested in. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I like to look nice, the luxury of modern life is lovely, and money and material things are not the enemy, but everything must be in balance.
Honestly, I have been extremely overwhelmed with the current situation I find myself in. Some of the purses I have seen for sale around here cost the same amount it would cost to feed an entire village of my African babies for an entire year! Also, I stick out like a sore thumb or maybe that is just the way I feel. And although I just told you that I don’t care about appearances, it is hard to live surrounded by such fashion, “beauty”, and wealth and not compare myself to others or get down on myself for my lack of in vogue attire. I was sitting in my flat the other day and was pondering this very situation, I started to feel insignificant and less valuable because I wear New Balance tennis shoes and my old university sweatshirt instead of a smart skirt with cute fuzzy boots that are the hottest fashion here. But then a small voice inside of me reminded me that man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart… I was reminded that my treasure is in heaven, not here were moths and rust destroy (which I witnessed with some of the stuff I had stored in New Hampshire while I was in Africa)…that the things of this world are temporary, that this world is not my home, and neither is London, I am just passing through… and there is one who loves me regardless of what I look like, what I wear, or what I have done…And that is what really matters.
Quoting Waris Dirie, the African author who wrote about her life as a child in Somalia (and many other intense health and political situations surrounding Africa including female circumcision and arranged marriages in her autobiography books called Desert Flower & Desert Dawn), “I buy shoes, comfortable ones though, not high-heels. They feel just like you are standing on rocks! Now why would you do that if you don’t have to (Desert Dawn, 2002, pg. 113)? I COULDN’T AGREE MORE! (I know my citing is horrible, I am working on that as I have to for my research paper, but my referencing skills are a little rusty either way Waris Dirie came up with that quote, not me)…
Wow, welcome to your new London neighborhood Laura! I am still slightly overwhelmed with my current situation, but one thing I am sure of is my identity in Christ and I say, “Thank you God for loving me just the way I am. Thank you for my flat in its grand London location. Lord, thank you that you love all of us, just the way we are, whether that be naked, in rags, wearing trendy clothing, or in nursing scrubs and flip-flops, with African scarves tied in our hair. Lord may all who read this know that your love is unconditional and may you continue to provide me with strength to share your message of love whenever I have the chance. AMEN!”
3 comments:
Love how God just continues to bless you exceedingly abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine and we praise Him for it!
I understand a lot of what you are going through. Right now I live in China where most of the expat wifes have nothing more to do with their time than shop and eat out. Since we are pretty low paid expats I know we can't afford for me to go to every lunch and if I do go on a shopping trip I have to be mindful of what I spend. All these laides and their families are always going on exotic vactions to all sort of asian places. But I also have to remember that I am bless that my husband has a job, that we do make enough to have the hired help. That I have 4 small children so like designer cloths and shoes just don't work. That having a poney tail for a hair do is okay! Great to follow your adventure! God be with you!
I say, wear one of your African dresses sometime and check out the looks you get then.... : )
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