I would just like to comment on Reverend Rich's letter of a couple of weeks ago. I really appreciated hearing this more open-minded take on women and beauty from a "man of the cloth." For many, many years I was very religious, starting with Protestant churches, then attending Catholic. All during these years, as a wife and mother, my physical being (sexuality included) was WAYYYY under wraps. I thought humility was closest to God. As a girl in my twenties, people commented on my beautiful long hair: what did I do? I cut it all off, so as not to attract "that" kind of attention. Then they said my short hair accented my lovely eyes. What was I to do then? Cut them out? I wore clothes that hid my body, and even thought I was blessed by God with a very shapely physique, I let myself go "for God's sake", gained 35 lbs, stayed overweight and repressed sexually for many years, and yet in my so-called "Christian" (not really) identity, served many people, sacrificed myself to help many people as a good religious woman should. Secretly, I was not at all happy.

I had a major awakening in my late thirties. Christ was always the center of my life, but at this time, I was completely awakened to the incredible love (for myself and all life) that Christ WAS. This love excluded nothing. I was blown away. Some say it was a "kundalini" type experience. I didn't know. All I knew was, I fell in love with all life, through God's love within me. Within my feminine me. I discovered Christ in the female form, as ME. It was unbelievable, and somewhat troublesome at first for my husband, because in my joy, I fell in love with every living being on the block.

I started taking long long walks, reveling in my body, how it moved, reveling in the grass coming up through the snow, reveling in the color of the sky. I was like a baby discovering her mindblowing toes. It was a time of sheer joy, and a true awakening to my physical being. To God's physical beauty and form. I couldn't believe what a blessed privilege it was, that I had been born a WOMAN. Sexuality awakened with all the rest. I dropped all excess weight, began accentuating my femaleness in my dress, hair, my whole being. No more was it religious to be unattractive.

Now, my hair is way down my back again, and I love taking walks in nature letting it go wild. It is sheer joy to have found a key to loving my female self. I credit it all to God. Who loves me AS I am. I also believe that God loves a little sauciness now and then! And Reverend Rich's letter . . . . . well, hearing a spiritual man's opened view just adds to my joy. I'd like to say to him --- Christ is also the very center of my existence, and there's nothing as beautiful as love in form. As the bible says, "From out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God has shined." The King's daughter IS all glorious within.

Laurie