I believe in modesty. It’s an easy statement to say but harder to follow through with. In my mind, modesty is the confidence in yourself to go out in public in clothing that suits your body but doesn’t give off too much information. Being a freshman in high school, I can be the first to tell you that believing in modesty is a hard belief to have. Between wanting that date to the homecoming dance or pressure from friends, modesty is not always the easiest route.
I have grown up in a Christian home. Of course, growing up in this kind of environment I was taught to always dress modestly and that it’s not necessary to show off your body for attention. Being the teenager that I am, I sometimes fall victim to societal pressures. However, as I mature, I have found the value in the truths that I was taught as a young child. Before, I never really took the time to contemplate the deeper meaning behind the teachings of being modest. Now I’m 14, and though some would say I still have many lessons to learn, I hold on to the fact that I know the importance of saving and keeping your body hidden, more so than the girls at my own high school.
Spirit week has always been a fun week to look forward to. The student council comes up with silly themes for each day and the whole school joins in clowning around. I feel that spirit week is supposed to be a week of memories and enjoyment. However, other girls have a different idea for spirit week. These girls take spirit week as an opportunity to defy school rules and wear “attention grabbing” outfits. They wear the skimpiest clothes consisting of spandex shorts and bikini tops, and walk around as if they owned the school, always turning heads but not always in the most positive ways. Sure, I can give them credit for boldness, but at what cost? I feel sorry for the girls that expose themselves to get attention. My hope for them is that they would see their worth without compromising their image. What adolescents don’t know is that the reputation that they have now stays with them for a very long time. Who they are today leads to who they will become tomorrow.
I sometimes feel that this is a corrupt world with bad influences around every corner. I have made up my mind to stand up and be different. I am the next generation and I don’t want my children growing up in a world with no boundaries. I want them to live life according to God’s teachings. I still love to go shopping with all of my friends and surf the web as any teen does, I just do it differently. I do it with integrity knowing that the clothes I pick out need to be attractive yet modest at the same time.
I am many of things: a sister, a daughter, and a friend. I have to ask myself, do I want my little sister to look at me and see an inappropriate, “follow the crowd” teen, or a girl she can look up to? Most importantly, I know who I am and I’m not afraid to say it. The dictionary states that modesty is shyness, a lack of vanity or self importance, and a lack of confidence. I know that modesty is the exact opposite. I’m confident in whom I am, confident in my body, and confident in saying that being modest is WAY better than being the hottest.