So last night, Brandon and I went to see the Peanuts movie. I was actually very tired yesterday but he’s been talking about going to see the movie for months. Of course, tired and all, I had to take him. I’m so glad I did.

Now most people my age have watched Charlie Brown movies at some point in their lives  but I guess as kids we didn’t really grasp the hidden  messages in them. Well last night, I got the message loud and clear. God, I got the message.

So Charlie Brown, was the insecure down trotten, always sad, he didn’t feel like anything was going right. I mean, he couldn’t even get his kite off the ground. He fell in love with a girl that he saw one day in class and he tried to find ways to get her attention.

He tried a talent show, he didn’t compete because his sister needed his help. He let her shine. He tried learning to dance to impress her but he ended up embarrassing himself by falling and making a scene. He tried to take on the responsibility of a class book report that they were to do but she had to go out of town and he did it himself. Major fail. The book report was torn up and he had nothing to turn in. Lastly, when he realized that he didn’t make the perfect score on his standardized test, after he’d been praised by everyone in school, he admitted that the test wasn’t his. Poor Charlie Brown.

Well after he failed in getting her attention he completely gave up. Like, he was done. He got depressed. He was withdrawn from his friends. Nothing else mattered because he was absolutely tired of failing at everything. Keep in mind, in the beginning of the movie he was still trying to fly his kite. The absolute struggle.

The last day of school, his teacher put all of the children’s name into a bowl and everyone had to pick someone to write to over the summer. PigPin was picked by a girl that had a crush on him. Lucy of course took matters into her own hands (literally! I’m so guilty of this… ) by choosing Schroeder. Lastly, Charlie Brown’s name was called and he thought no one would pick him. To his surprise, the red haired girl picked him. He was just outdone.

Charlie Brown could not figure out why she picked him. Him, the guy that made a fool out of himself the entire year. The guy that could never get two words out when she was around. The guy that was insecure. So he asked her. Why did you pick my name? *this is where the lesson comes in, lol. He told her in so many words, I’m nothing. I have all of the problems. My life is a mess and I can’t do anything right.  She said, “I didn’t see any of those things. I saw the compassion for your sister when she was having a hard time at the talent contest and you stepped in to help her. I saw that you were courageous when you got into the dance contest knowing that you weren’t the best dancer. You were also funny. I saw that you were nice enough to do the book report when I had to go East to help my sick grandmother. That showed me that you were caring. So I saw the good in you when all you saw were the bad things!”

When I tell you that a light bulb went off in my head and I felt that God was speaking directly to me! I literally had tears in my eyes. Let me tell you why. At times when we’re going through things we let the bad things outweigh the good. Because we don’t have a lot of money, we feel that we’re not valuable. That because you don’t have a degree that you’re not educated. Because you’re single that you’re not good enough to be loved. That since you don’t have a solid career that you’re not good at anything. Because you’re overweight that you’re just doomed to be by yourself. But you NEVER know what people see when they actually look at you. They could see that you’re good to those around you. That you’ll help someone that you don’t know. That you’ll give your last to make sure that someone else has. That you are  the most beautiful woman ever or that you’re the most handsome man a woman will ever see. They don’t see the mess that you see.

Don’t let your thoughts hinder you from being happy. So what everything is together! So what you live in an apartment?  You could be happier than someone living in a five bedroom house. So what you don’t have a seven figure a year job? You probably have more time to spend with your family and friends. You don’t have to take medicines or drink alcohol to get through the day. So what you’re single? You’re happier than someone that can’t sleep because they’re worried about where their significant other is. You don’t have to worry about karma coming back because you’re sneaking with someone who’s married or in a relationship. (Shade, lol) So what that you don’t have tons of friends? You don’t have to worry about people hanging on to you for what you have instead of who you are. I’d rather have 5 real and true friends than 50 fake ones. This list can go on and on.

Learn your worth. Know that there is no one like you. There will never be another Keisha Bowles.  You know why, God made me and I’m like no other. Don’t let society tell you that because you don’t have thousands of followers on social media and hundreds of likes that you’re nothing. Figure out who you are. Be authentic to yourself. Don’t try to compete with the lives of others. Everything that shines isn’t light. You can shine by being yourself. Stay true and be you!!

Who would have thought that I learned all of this from Charlie Brown?  Lol