To Be Full of Grace

“Grace isn't a little prayer you say before receiving a meal. It’s a way to live.” Wow. That really hit home. I saw this little quote in an image on the side of a blog I recently started reading and it’s been with me for days. I want this on a t-shirt, on a billboard… everywhere. And yet it’s so hard. It’s such a difficult thing to do everything with grace, in grace and through grace. And no, I don’t just mean gracefully with pretty flowing actions. 

So that got me thinking on the definition of grace... and now that I've looked it up for propriety's sake, I'll contemplate it for a while.... after sharing the definition.

grace

noun /grās/  graces, plural 1.      Simple elegance or refinement of movement §  - she moved through the water with effortless grace 2.      Courteous goodwill §  - at least he has the grace to admit his debt to her 3.      An attractively polite manner of behaving §  - she has all the social graces 4.      (in Christian belief) The free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessing  5.      A divinely given talent or blessing §  - the graces of the Holy Spirit 6.      The condition or fact of being favored by someone §  - he fell from grace because of drug use at the Olympics 7.      A period officially allowed for payment of a sum due or for compliance with a law or condition, esp. an extended period granted as a special favor §  - another three days' grace 8.      A short prayer of thanks said before or after a meal §  - before dinner the Reverend Newman said grace 9.      Used as forms of description or address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop §  - His Grace, the Duke of Atholl verb /grās/   graced, past participle; graced, past tense; graces, 3rd person singular present;gracing, present participle 10.  Do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence §  - she bowed out from the sport she has graced for two decades 11.  (of a person or thing) Be an attractive presence in or on; adorn §  - Ms. Pasco has graced the front pages of magazines like Elle and Vogue Synonyms  verb: adorn, decorate, ornament, embellish, deck, bedeck,beautify, honour, honor  noun: favour, favor, charm, elegance, mercy, gracefulness

Yes. All of that. (Thank you, Google.) That is what I strive to be: a person full of grace in all its forms. Sure, you may address me as “Her Grace” if you wish (really,  please don't)... It’s not at all appropriate or fitting for me.... Maybe I should start at the beginning... 

"Simple elegance or refinement of movement"

 This is a personal want more than anything. I've always felt clumsy, klutzy and such. I have scoliosis and one side of my body is lower than the other. I've always struggled not to limp, not to show that and let my shoulder sag, though I'm sure the difference is minor and not very noticeable to others. I've always admired a dancer's grace, but have never really been a dancer. I took ballet for a year, tap for a year, and have researched and played at other dances on my own, but I wouldn't call myself a dancer by a long shot. 

 "Courteous goodwill"

 If only we all could attempt every action with this. Courtesy, the showing of politeness in one's attitude and behavior toward others, seems to be an often forgotten thing in the modern world. And "Goodwill"? Isn't that a charity or something? Certainly not a friendly, helpful, or cooperative attitude. This one aspect of grace, I feel is a very important one for a submissive person. The attitude behind the actions can sometimes make all the difference.

"An attractively polite manner of behaving"

 Oooooh. But sometimes I just want to be rude! I speak before I think. I interrupt. I slouch; I slump. I'm loud. I state my opinion when it isn't requested. I give attitude to those to which I should give respect... notably E. I act in selfishness and petty anger. Yes, I'm human, but none of these things fall into the category of "attractively polite". 

"(in Christian belief) The free and unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessing"

 Yes. I'm a Christian. An odd breed of Christian to be sure, especially in the Bible Belt, but I'm not here to talk about that. If you want to ask me how I manage that, do so and I'll answer in another post. 

"A divinely given talent or blessing"

We all have our special gifts. Some of us have more than others. Some of us have more intense gifts than others. I feel I'm one of those that may have many 'gifts' but at a low intensity. Hah. I suppose a person's gift is really only truly evident to those that receive it. 

"The condition or fact of being favored by someone"

 I always want to be in my Sir's good graces.... but that's not going to happen. I want to be in everyone's good graces.. lol That's really not going to happen. But I seek this. Constantly. Consciously or subconsciously, I seek it. I have found myself seeking the favor of persons I don't even like... This can be a bad thing at times and I have to reign it in because I have to accept that I can't always make everyone happy, but I want to, and that attitude is one I don't want to lose. I don't want to become one of those people that doesn't care if the ones they are surrounded by are content or not.

"A period officially allowed for payment of a sum due or for compliance with a law or condition, esp. an extended period granted as a special favor"

 I know this one may not seem like it applies, but, in its way, it does. We all have these deadlines we set for ourselves and others. When to pay the bills, to get the laundry done, for so-and-so to pay back that debt, for your neighbor to return your weed eater that he borrowed... so on and so forth. I sometimes give myself too many grace periods, but I want to always allow others at least one period of grace and not jump straight to indignant anger. This can be oh so hard to do!!! It tells a lot about the person you're dealing with though. Too many and you can be taken advantage of, too few and you're unfriendly. Though I may really need that whateveritis back like yesterday... I'm going to try to give what'shername another chance to bring it to me tomorrow and have a good attitude about it while I'm at it. (Note to self: be more cautious about loaning what'shername your things...)

" A short prayer of thanks said before or after a meal"

 Yes, I pray too. But in this case, full of grace, to me would be to be full of thanks and to say that thanks, not just think it. 

"Used as forms of description or address for a duke, duchess, or archbishop"

 See above. These people were addressed this way for a reason: The height of society, they sometimes set bar the social graces....supposedly. 

"Do honor or credit to (someone or something) by one's presence"

I shall grace you with my presence.. Hahahahahaha. ok maybe not, but I do wish to do honor and credit to others while I am with them, most importantly my Sir, who occasionally graces me with his presence... *snickers* 

"(of a person or thing) Be an attractive presence in or on; adorn"

I suppose for this one, I wish to grace my Sir. Yep. I want to be an attractive presence in AND on him. Hehe. In all seriousness, though. I do want to make him proud of me and, I suppose one could say, grace his feet, for sitting at his feet is where I am my happiest.

Aaaaaaaand I've rambled on waaaaaay too long for anyone that reads this, but maybe someone got something out of it other than me from writing it. 

 Until next time!

 ~E's Surri.

P.S.: The blog where I saw the image: http://the50sdish.blogspot.com/ . And it's a good read too!