Clothes

Second only to President Obama’s Inaugural Address was the anticipation of the First Lady’s Inaugural gown. It was a close second as was confirmed by a poll on the Internet that asked what people were most looking forward to for the Inauguration. I must admit that I had some hesitation in casting my own vote for while I knew that the “right” choice should be the speech, I really wanted to see The Dress! 

So I was a bit disappointed when it was finally unveiled at the Neighbourhood Ball.

The dress itself was beautiful. Yet something bothered me. As I watched the President and First Lady dancing, it struck me Mrs. Obama did not look comfortable. She kept tugging at the back, it was clearly too long and it seemed to get in the way of the two-step led by her husband.

The first function of our clothes is comfort and then adornment. Without the first, the second doesn’t happen. If we are not comfortable, then we do not look or feel beautiful. For clothes are salves to the ego. When we look good, we feel good. We like our leaders to dress up, for we feel a collective balm – all is well in the world when our leaders look good. Salve to our collective ego. The world judges us by how we look, and we judge others by how they look. Some of us need clothes to validate ourselves. Yet we are not our clothes – they are merely costumes that we don for whatever role we decide to play in the drama (or comedy) that is our life.

Our clothes are simply appendages, there only for the function of Man. Spirit needs no clothes. In no way should our outer accoutrements interfere with our business at hand, and the only real business we have is to be and express our Spirit nature. Note that those who dedicate themselves to the conscious work of Spirit such as priests and nuns wear the same thing all the time.

It is good to remember that our clothes, our skin, our bodies are not us. We are Spirit, already beautiful and perfect. When we remember that, whatever we don, we will be and look amazing.

Mrs. Obama – wear whatever you choose. Just be comfortable.