S
o I have been thinking a lot about what my next post should be about. I keep a list in my phone of ideas and topics I would like to discuss. There is one idea however that just keeps popping into my head as it hovers near the beginning of said list. The item on the list says ‘red lipstick lady’. I often go makeup free but whenever I want to feel a bit more confident and add a punch to my look, I put on red lipstick. Every time I do this, I briefly think about something I came across many moons ago.
Years ago I read an article (I thought it was in one of my teen magazines but I can’t be certain), about a young woman that wore red lip stick right before her mastectomy and subsequent treatments. That story has stuck with me for years so I decided to do a little research to see if I could find it. Low and behold she has written a book about this very thing called ‘Why I Wore Lipstick to my Mastectomy’, and there was also a TV movie made about it! This inspiring warrior is Geralyn Lucas and I highly encourage you to look her up. I really want to get my hands on this book and devour it as I know it will be a good read.
Based on other articles I’ve read about her book so far, she employs a number of makeup and wardrobe choices to represent something to herself. It is like the concept of smile for a minute if you are unhappy and you will trick your brain into being happy. She didn’t wear red lip stick, stilettos and short skirts for anyone but herself and how it made her feel. She was determined to reinvent herself, and become the woman she always wanted to be. For her it was about femininity and fearlessness.
Now I certainly don’t wish a cancer diagnosis on anyone but I am almost positive Ms. Lucas wrote this book to inspire others. Her story has inspired me and has become a constant little influential nugget all of these years later. That’s pretty powerful stuff if you ask me.
I don’t have a story as inspirational as Geralyn Lucas, but I hope to one day be even half as inspiring to others as she has to me.
7607 hours since I became a mom.