Life By Way of Letter Correspondence

My favorite thing happened today. I opened my mailbox...and received 7 letters.

I love writing. It's a lost art. Through letters you see someone in a different way. The thoughts of their heart. The way their mind works. The essence of their existence. Cell phones, Facebook, Skype: these things are amazing. But, they are immediate. They require no patience or time, just the click of a button. But; a letter. A letter requires you to sit. To think. To ponder. To write. Perhaps, to revise. To walk it to the mail box. To buy a postage stamp. To check every day for a response. To have faith one is coming. To know each letter is special, even if it doesn't contain much. It means: I care enough about you to keep in touch through this simple piece of paper. Where-ever you are in the world, you are loved by me. 

Almost There (well...I wish)

this is what i do when i am sick. and wasting time. and loving jazz. and wishing i was a princess.

How To Be Lovely:

I was in Young Women's when The Word showed up again. It's in our new theme:

We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things.

As I pick apart the words in this Article of Faith, I can't help but notice...that as a Latter-Day Saint, if there is anything lovely, we seek after it.

My curiosity was piqued! I have been questioning and pondering The Word for some time now. As a new blogger--I look at all the lovely blogs of my friends and family. Making new friends I realize how lovely they are. Enjoying beautiful things I use "lovely" to describe them. My two lovely friends made a blog called this lovely notebook, I have wanted so desperately to be lovely!

When I read The Word in our theme--I knew I just had to do something about this.

So... I researched.

What is it to be lovely?

First place I looked: The Dictionary. I was a little disappointed. They gave some synonyms such as charming, beautiful, exquisite, delightful, etc. But those words don't REALLY sum it up for me.

I don't think the Article of Faith meant to seek after charm and beauty. Even though there's nothing wrong with those...it just didn't seem to fit.

So I pulled out a book. This book is a lovely book.

Ah. Audrey. Yes. Audrey. This lovely lady lent it to me. I have been meaning and meaning to read it for weeks. I was finally motivated enough to sit down and do it.

I LOVED it! It is exquisite. And very lovely.

So I came up with my favorite points and applied them to me.

I call it:

How To Be Lovely: The Shelby Frampton Guide to Life

#1 Love Deeply. 


Love with all your heart. There's no other way to love. Jenessa taught me this week that fear of heartbreak is just a crutch that prohibits your ability to have your heart grow stronger and stronger. Each time it aches- open it up to love more and someday you will learn to love everything with everything you got.



#2 Laugh A Lot.

"I love people who make me laugh, I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person" -Audrey


Make it funny. Laughing with someone is one of the most enjoyable experiences in life! I love to laugh. I love others who laugh. It shows that they are happy and enjoy the circumstances they are in.



#3 Don't be afraid of your insecurities.

"I don't think your insecurity ever disappears. Sometimes I think the more successful you become, the less secure you feel. This is kind of frightening, really." -Audrey


Being lovely isn't being perfect. It's dealing with those imperfections gracefully. I thought to myself when I read this "how in the world can Audrey Hepburn have insecurities?!?" She is beautiful and wise and talented. But she did. And so do I. But that's part of being lovely--not being discouraged by insecurities, but being motivated by them.



#4 Embrace Life.



What's the point of living if we fear it? Live as much as possible. Grasp opportunities. Love and learn from your circumstances. Be HAPPY. Life is good.



#5 Have Faith.

"The world has always been cynical, and I think I'm a romantic at heart. I hope for better things, and I thank God the world is also full of people who want to be genuine and kind." -Audrey

Looking through the dictionary, there was one definition of lovely that needs to be included: "moral or spiritual beauty". I believe that this is the loveliness talked about in the admonition of Paul. That includes the ability to have faith. To believe in miracles.

Simply Lovely.