The myth of InvinciGirl

Flashback to when my eyebrow proved its vulnerability

InvinciGirl*: a female who is in the unique situation to do everything and be everything (despite a tortured past), showing to the world the power of a girl who depends only on herself.

And, for the record, that's not me. When I walk down a country road at night I change sides of the road so cars don't have to dodge me. Why? Because somehow I know that even the dinkiest little Smart car can take me out.

I know it's a popular thing these days; we all got tired of female movie characters who serve only as the romantic interest for the male lead and decided that a female lead should, well, really lead. So we now have Katniss and Merida. But just as Superman doesn't really exist (oops, sorry folks), InvinciGirl doesn't either.

She's really attractive though. She's got it together, can take on a storm, draws upon her supply of inner strength, and doesn't need other people to make her what she is. I admire that, for a moment at least.

But that's not the way I want to be. I want to be strong enough to admit when I'm weak.

Folks, I'm not strong on my own. Any strength you see in me is either momentary courage or drawn from a deep well, the One Who gives living water. And while I may do things that you'd never dream of doing, I fight the same daily battles of wondering if I'm doing the right thing or if everything's going to fall apart.

Can we all just stop trying to be it all and do it all? Can we be a little vulnerable? Brene Brown says that "Vulnerability sounds like truth and feels like courage. Truth and courage aren't always comfortable, but they're never weakness." 

 It's an often overused passage, but Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 speak powerfully of the opportunity weakness can give us: "But he (Jesus) said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

So if you catch me not being perfect, or invincible, or having all the answers, welcome to the real world.



Are we Titanium, or are we Human? (or is that a false dichotomy?)




* I didn't coin the term "InvinciGirl." Hat tip to D.R., whose mom used the term and I adopted it. ("adopted" sounds better than "kidnapped" or "stole")