Sharpay was our hero

Sharpay Evans was the blonde haired, brown eyed villain of our childhood. But was she really as bad as we think?

I saw a post that stated Sharpay’s villainous portrayal was an unfair representation. Her over zealous ambition was a gateway to a mean streak but if we’re honest, the girl was intent on making moves. Like any smart person, she used her connections at her disposal and because she was infatuated with Troy tried to share that with him. Is that terrible?

Also, I would be way more offended if my friends used underhanded techniques for their own advantage. Are we forgetting Troy and Gabriella’s besties, Chad and Taylor, cooked up a scheme to make it look like Troy was bad mouthing Gabriella?! That’s ice cold baby.

Furthermore, the post compared Sharpay with Gabriella saying that all Gabriella did was sing and cry. LOL. However, in her unassuming defence she did help him admit his love for singing.

Another way in which Sharpay was our hero is that she was authentic from the jump! I don’t recall her pretending to not be herself and she didn’t care what other people thought of her. Theatre wasn’t the most popular group to be a part of at East High School, but she didn’t let that stop her from walking around like a boss! Then let’s get into the looks. A regular school day was a fashion show because she gave us sequins, glitter and heels. All things fabulous, bigger and better is best!

Like most people, as I got older I realised that in school the quirky kids were the outsiders and the majority preferred to not stray too far from whatever the acceptable line was. Then, by the time we got to university, more and more people wanted to be noted for their individuality.

Therefore, Sharpay really deserved credit and our understanding. Although the others taught us the journey to self acceptance, it was marred by the need for the ‘popular kids’ to give the green light and make it okay for everyone. Sharpay should have been the one we learned from as she kept the same energy the whole way through and was not deterred by the general consensus. She was unlikable but right.

Contentment

Contentment: ‘In a state of peaceful happiness/ happiness and satisfaction’

My understanding of the meaning of contentment was to be happy with what you have however, it was skewed towards ‘just making do’ with whatever cards one is dealt with. I’ve only recently realised this is not only impractical, but it doesn’t make any sense.

This understanding of contentment gave way to a course of resentment and a side of comparison that literally robbed the joy out of me. I didn’t see it that way of course, I just felt I was being dealt a poorer hand and resigned myself to just deal with what I had. I was ‘making do’.

So now confusion AND frustration are also in the mix and there is no peace within me because I want more of ‘what they have’. What I was already blessed with was not enough for me. Instead of nurturing and enjoying the fruits of my own garden I was dreaming up ways to include elements that were probably unsuitable for its habitat. Even though they seem perfectly reasonable it just doesn’t happen to be the natural order. Which is fine!

Overthinking is an enemy in SOOOOO many formations.

Synonyms for the word contentment include: peace, satisfaction, comfort, pleasure and gratification.

My prior understanding of the word contentment bred a dark cloud that was limiting and felt like being content was ‘settling’. When in reality it gives the freedom to explore, enjoy and expand! The difference is, in this way you won’t be doing it out of distaste, fear or judgement. It’ll be love.

If you replace the word ‘content’ with ‘peaceful’ in the following scripture it should help this to make more sense:

Philippians 4:11-13 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.