Vanity and Its Foibles

Hey, Y'all,
When I was a girl (way back yonder), I guess I was like most little girls in that I wanted to look really good when I went to church or to any special occasion. I was most vain about my hair, and if I were trying to make it look just so, with curls, I would get angry if anyone got even close to speaking to me when I was fussing with it. My mama had a story for just about every thing, and my crankiness about my hair was no exception, and a saying as well.

One time when I was being really nasty to anyone who came near me, she said, "Ruby, did I ever tell you about the little girl who wanted her hair to be curly?" I said, "No, I don't think so".

Here was her story: "One time there was a little girl who was cute and she knew it. She was very vain about her looks. She got so angry one time when her hair would not do what she wanted it to do, she said, "Even if I die and go to Hell, I want my hair to be curly." Well, one day not long after that, she got sick and died. She had never accepted Jesus as her Saviour, even though she knew about Him. So they laid her out and put her into the coffin. It came time for the funeral, and after the preacher said some words over her, the pall bearers carried her from the little church to the graveyard nearby. They noticed as they carried her that the casket got heavier and heavier. Sounds were coming from the casket, and they wondered what in the world was going on. When they got to the open grave, they set down the casket and opened it. Imagine their shock and surprise when they saw a dozen little imps chattering and curling her hair."

Mama told me that story when I was about eleven years old, I guess. As you can see, it left an impression on my young mind. I have never forgotten it, but you know, I reckon maybe I do still have quite a bit of vanity in my old bones. I do like to look good, and I love to be thought well of, as most every body does. Hats are one of my weaknesses, and I wear one to church when I get to go. I enjoy receiving praise for hard work, and having done a pleasing thing. I hope I please my Lord, and look forward to rewards when I get to Heaven.

Some quotes about vanity:
"There are no grades of vanity, there are only grades of ability in concealing it." Mark Twain

"A man receives the shocks of life on the buffer of his vanity." Alexander Smith

"To be a Man's own Fool is bad enough, but the Vain Man is Everybody's." William Penn

"The highest form of vanity is love of fame." George Santayana

"You're so vain, you probably think this song is about you," Carly Simon

"Vanity as an impulse has probably been of far more benefit to civilization than modesty has ever been." W. E. Woodward

"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity." From Ecclesiastes 12:8

Vanity has been blamed for many things, and it is true that a lot has been accomplished through vanity that would otherwise never have been done. It is also true that vanity has caused a lot of heartaches that would not have been suffered without it. Vanity is a part of human nature that we must constantly strive to keep it from overtaking us.

My mama had a saying to kind of take us down a notch or two when we were concerned with how we looked. "They'll never be able to tell the difference on a galloping pony." In case you don't get that one, she meant that we probably didn't stay still long enough for anyone to notice if we looked good or not, I reckon.

Well, today is going to be a busy one for me. It is 7:15 and I have already put the tenderloin in the crockpot with barbeque sauce on it for tonight's supper. We are having roasting ears (boiled corn on the cob), and sugar snap peas, along with some toasted garlic bread. I have an appointment in Knoxville with my cardiologist; a regular checkup at 10 a.m. so I still have my shower and breakfast to do yet. I imagine Gramps will be sleeping in, but coffee is ready to turn on for him and I will set out his cereal and bowl for his breakfast before I fly out of here like, well, like anything you want to imagine. Ha ha.

This is Blabbin' Grammy signing off for today. Yeah, I love to hear how much you like reading my blog. It makes me feel appreciated and we all need that, now, don't we? Much love to each of you, my friends out in Blogland. More later. I am soon going to create a story board for my suspense story and begin writing the rest of it one of these days, God willing.
Bye for now.