red lipstick

The tiny red tube of paint intimidated her the when she saw it in the store.
She thought instead to buy the berry or whine tone- they were less dramatic.
Still, the goal was to be dramatic.
With some insecurity she bought it.
She set out on her mission:
30 days of red lipstick
30 days of knowing that the words she allowed to escape her mouth would require an elegant force in order to compete with the lips they were passing through
30 days of believing that she was worthy of her own luxurious full red lips
30 days of audaciousness

January was red lipstick month and these were the lessons learned:
Red lipstick is like a secret you tell the world without ever saying a word.
Red lips are not bashful; they refuse to hide.
They are an invitation to allow the world to see you and know that you are here; you matter; you are passion; you are truth; you are beauty; you are a creation of the Master Artist.

Even wisdom literature knows that red lips are significant.

You're so beautiful, my darling, so beautiful, and your dove eyes are veiled by your hair as it flows and shimmers, like a flock of goats in the distance streaming down a hillside in the sunshine. Your smile is generous and full— expressive and strong and clean. Your lips are jewel red, your mouth elegant and inviting, your veiled cheeks soft and radiant. The smooth, lithe lines of your neck command notice—all heads turn in awe and admiration! Your breasts are like fawns, twins of a gazelle, grazing among the first spring flowers.
Song of Songs 4:1