Her?

This morning as I spent some time meditiating and pndering on improving myself I reflected on a time when I felt I was at my best. I was a righteous member of the church, an example to everyone and was able to find balance in living this lifestyle without coming across as self-righteous or "holier than thou." I hope to be able to achieve this again!

I was a sophomore in high school and had gone to a dance. There was a guy that wanted my phone number, so I gave it to him. We talked a few times on the phone and he came to my house once. He tried to kiss me! I made it clear that I didn't want to talk to him anymore because I didn't want to give him the wrong impression. This upset him.

He was a Junior at my high school. The following Monday he started to spread rumors that he had sex with me over the weekend. A few of my friends told me about this rumor and I wasn't worried about a thing. The responses he got from every person he told was, "Melissa Butler? She wouldn't do that." And other responses like, "You wish!" I had developed a reuptation of modesty and chastity. It was so reassuring to me that I could just allow my reputation to speak for itself. I didn't have to defend myself because everyone already knew what I stood for and knew that his false rumors would not last long. Everyone seemed to know me and knew that I would never! And with each person that he told he looked more and more like an idiot because my reuptation and the way I carried myself and portrayed myself spoke louder than any lie said about me.

I hope to develop a strong reputation again. I want everyone to know who I am, what I am and what I will do. And it want it all to be good and righteous.

I still laugh to this day about those rumors. I laughed the first time I heard them. My best friend told me and she even laughed as she told me knowing that it wouldn't even phaise me to hear such things.

Live a life that speaks for itself. I did not have to defend myself or clarify any rumors because my reputation spoke for itself. I hope to teach my children this as well. It made getting through high school and warding off the evils of the world much easier when I had taken a great deal of time and invested it in my self worth and my values. I think it's the only way our young people will get through this world in this generation and the generations to come.