Life For That

"He’ll probably get life for that." Those are the words I said to my sister as we learned my nephew just shot his girlfriend and a man they were attempting to rob in a lousy situation that rapidly turned into a nightmare.

As I hung up the phone and put my head in my hands, I wished I could say this was the first bit of trouble that my nephew had gotten into, but of course, it wasn't. You don't go from suburban teen to armed robber and first-degree murderer in one single leap. It started way back in his childhood with teenage parents unequipped to steer their own futures, let alone raise a baby boy. Like so many families similar to mine, it likely started generations before with people we can't even name.

A normal life for him was probably always just out of reach in the best of circumstances.

The best of circumstances is not what he had.

I know my nephew didn't intend to get life. Life is what gets you when you aren't paying attention.

Faith, spinach, and manifestation

I've heard "just have faith" as the answer to many of my questions growing up. I wore my mom out with questions of "why?" Then I moved all those whys and a truckload of new questions over to my prayer life, hoping the man upstairs could help. When answers didn't come or came too sporadically or too vaguely, I went off looking on my own.

They say "belief is the enemy of knowing", and I've spent a lot time thinking about that. Faith seems like the bridge to belief and I was looking for the knowing. I used to get so frustrated when some sweet, kind-hearted person would tell me "you just need to have faith" and if you don't have it, just pray that God would give it to you. I'm afraid its not that easy.

One day last week, I came across a podcast or IG reel, or, who knows what, talking about manifestation (honestly, is the entire internet talking about anything else, or has my algorithm just taken a hard turn?). The speaker described manifestation as planting a seed. When you plant a seed for spinach, you don't just plant it and walk away; you choose a place that will give the spinach the best shot at making it, prep the soil, plant the seed, water it, and nurture it. And you do all of that because you fully expect to have spinach in 4-6 weeks.

I prayed like I used to try to grow spinach; I sent the words up and hoped to get the desired result. When it didn't happen, or my spinach looked like a sad, tired, shriveled-up, underdeveloped piece of kale, I would blame God. Full on temper trandrom, everyone else was growing beautiful spinach, and I had this crap.

But I'm realizing that to "manifest" results in my life, I have to prep the ground, plant the seed, and nurture it. When the conditions are met mainly by me, I should expect to have spinach. That is manifesting. It's not magic (but it sort of kind of is). But, the point is, I am responsible.

You are responsible for dreaming, for doing the prep work, taking the first action and nurturing the dream. Then, the magic happens.

If you have a dream, it's time to take action with faith, or I suggest with expectation that if you do your part and nurture this dream, it is much more likely to happen than saying a prayer over a spinach seed and walking away. Take the actions of someone who expects to grow spinach.

Welcome to THE FASHION DRIVEN LIFE

Hi, I'm Angie Segraves

I am a self-proclaimed fashionista and lifelong dieter with undiagnosed ADHD and a healthy caffeine addiction. I have just enough fashion sense to keep my credit cards full and just enough curiosity to chase conversations about quantum entanglement or whether an hourglass figure should be wearing barrel-cut jeans. 

I think my give-a-f*&k is broken, and it's time for me to get real about my body, my beliefs, and my life.

Join me on the journey of finding the meaning of life and the ever-elusive perfect pair of jeans.

This is a blog dedicated to exploring the intersection of fashion, identity, and spiritual growth. My mission is to help you intentionally shape your relationship with your body and your style, so you can feel confident and empowered in every area of your life. I'm passionate about fashion and its transformative power and I believe that what you wear is an expression of who you are, and that by cultivating a mindful approach to fashion, you can create a more authentic and fulfilling life.

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