From Tracie: Twirling Rainbow Before The Rain

Monday, March 18, 2013

Twirling Rainbow Before The Rain

I am staring out of the window by my computer desk, trying to decide how long it will be before the rain pours down. A group of girls are passing by, on the way home from the bus stop.

One girl stands out from the crowd. She is alternating between skipping and twirling, her teal tutu-skirt a blur of sparkly color. This is a girl who has her own style. I am pretty sure she picked out this outfit without parental input. A teal tutu-skirt over jeans, bright yellow shirt, pink headband with sequined ribbons hanging down around her face, and purple shoes; she is carrying a backpack, and a sequined purse completes her ensemble.

It looks a bit like a sparkly rainbow threw up on her, yet somehow, it works.

The girls who are walking with her are laughing at whatever she is saying. She passes a tube of lip gloss around, and they all pause to put it on, looking in a small pocket mirror that also comes out of her sequined purse.

They determine that it is too cold to swim, and I see several of the girls glance up at the heavy clouds above. "Makeovers," the sparkly rainbow girl announces decisively. "I got a new box of lip glosses on Saturday."

A moment later the girls are gone. I stare at the spot they vacated, almost expecting to see a cloud of color and sparkle hanging in the air.

I remember days like that when I was twelve years old. Makeup was something fun to play with, instead of a quickly applied necessity to cover up blemishes. Afternoons were filled with twirling and laughter.

I never had the confidence to go in my closet and put on every item that made me feel happy on a grey Monday morning, regardless of matching colors or patterns, but I did think about it. I'm thinking about it now. Wondering why it is so important to match, when a teal tutu-skirt with sparkles would make any outfit feel happy, and any day brighter.

The rain is here now, but I already saw a rainbow - before the raindrops fell.

40 comments:

  1. I love this!

    Just thought you should know :)

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  2. Aw! That was wonderful. You captured that moment so beautifully.

    I need to be a little more like rainbow girl-at least every now and then! --Lisa

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    1. Thanks. I need to let my inner rainbow girl out more often, too. Maybe we need to have a rainbow sparkles day, and share our fun outfits and makeup on our blogs!

      Does Bonnie Belle lip gloss still make those lip gloss necklace things? Because they would be a must! I was so obsessed with those when I was kid.

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  3. OH I could see her in my mind this was perfect. Especially with the dreary rainy day we have had today..

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    1. I hope you found some sunshine in your world today.

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  4. "It looks a bit like a sparkly rainbow threw up on her, yet somehow, it works."

    I love that line. Also, that's how people describe me at times, lol.

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  5. Aww to be a kid again...except I was like you and wouldn't be brave to try on everything in my closet. So glad you got to see a rainbow :)

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    1. I'm working on finding that bravery now. It is pretty fun.

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  6. That was so sweet. Totally made me want to go find a tutu. I think I will...

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  7. I can't even tell you how much I heart this post <3

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  8. I loved reading this post this morning. Growing up I loved Cyndi Lauper and Rainbow Brite and Punky Brewster but never had the confidence to emulate them.

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  9. Replies
    1. I always need more perspective in my life!

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  10. I used to be much more carefree in my clothes and hair and makeup. This has made me realize it today. Maybe I need to find a touch of rainbow again. This was lovely.

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    1. I hope you found your inner rainbow. It makes every day better.

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  11. This just stole my breath away. I love when you write a post that is so chalk full of imagery. Just brilliant. Love.

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  12. I was never so bold in what I wear, but that is just such a happy scene. I can picture it so well.

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    1. I'm learning to find that boldness now. Little by little.

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  13. I really enjoy how people passing by are able to get the wheels of our mind spinning. People watching is so fun....it allows you to see their authenticity, while reflecting upon yourself. It's also a get method to beat writer's block! You've inspired me to people watch, reflect, then write about it!

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    1. Awesome! I find a lot of inspiration when I'm people watching, hopefully you will too.

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  14. My daughter had that kind of confidence as a little girl... certainly had more than I ever did at a young age.

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    1. My daughter has more confidence than I did, too.

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  15. This was such a pretty post! I wish I would've been more carefree when I was 12.

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    1. Thanks. You have a chance to give that to your daughter as she gets older.

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  16. Beautiful post. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all be rainbows. I love the images you painted.

    Fool's Gold

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    1. It would be wonderful! I think we all have a little bit of rainbow inside us, if we will only let it out.

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  17. Wonderful post, Tracie! I love your writing - you capture moments and create images with such eloquence. <3

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  18. Great post...I was totally caught up in the moment!

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  19. So sweet! That sounds exactly like how my daughter dresses!

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  20. What a wonderful moment to capture with words! I totally pictured her outfit.

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  21. Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for sharing this wonderful moment with us. I'll be thinking about this for a while.

    I hope you have a lovely weekend.

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  22. I loved this too!!! Thank you for sharing the moment with us! Oh to all be girls who are confident and compelling in their own skin!!!

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