Five Life Lessons I Learned From Steel Magnolias
If I made a list of all the best movies in all the world? Steel Magnolias would be at the top. It’s funny and witty and poignant and sad and it makes you cry buckets of tears and then laugh out loud with tears running down your face.
I just re-watched Steel Magnolias.
For the 4,145th time.
Why?
Because it never disappoints.
Ever.
It’s like a friend that you can always count on.
There is so much about joy and life and laughter and love to be gleaned from the scenes of Steel Magnolias and surprising, eye-opening, amazing life lessons to be learned along the way.
So in honor of the greatest movie that’s ever lived…
…. here’s a little Steel Magnolias wisdom.
1. Be kind
Especially to your hairdresser.
They have feelings, too.
Sitting in a hairdresser’s chair you can almost feel the weight of the day rolling off your shoulders along with snippets of your hair.
It must be something they learn in class at beauty school because hairdressers are always so full of wisdom and brilliant observations like “When it comes to suffering, she’s right up there with Elizabeth Taylor.”
And besides, you never know when you’re going to need 14 dozen eggs or an extra can of Aqua Net.
2. Have courage
Especially when you are new to town and you just walked all the way to Truvy’s beauty parlor in your oversized shoes. Especially when life has handed out challenges and you may or may not have a husband who just left you behind.
Find your courage.
Find your strength.
Speak your truth and say “Miss Truvy, I promise my personal tragedy will not interfere with my ability to do good hair.”
Life is a little overwhelming right now.
I get it.
I understand.
But one day you’ll be at a wedding in a dress that the bride gave you with the most amazing pair of glasses and extra bread rolls in your purse and your waist will be eighteen inches and your dress will be extra-princesslike and your hair will be high.
And you’ll have the courage to introduce yourself to the bartender.
3. Know how to rock a bad hair day
When life gets a little challenging and your husband doesn’t really pay any attention to you and ignores your beauty parlor and doesn’t help you carry the eggs to the car and your son just drives away on a motorcycle and forgets to take out the trash.
Don’t worry friend.
You got this.
Ignore the fact that your new assistant just teased your hair to the sky and backcombed your bangs into something that looks like a helmet.
None of that matters.
Just put on seven-inch heels and tie a scarf around your head and take out the trash yourself and tell yourself, “Smile. It increases your face value.”
And remember.
True beauty comes from within.
4. Always help others in need
Make yourself available to help those who might need a helping hand.
If someone is getting married and they need a groom’s cake? Be a good friend and step in with a little imagination and an armadillo cake pan.
Be bold.
Be imaginative.
Be creative with your cake choices.
Don’t hesitate to go the extra mile and make the cake red velvet with armadillo icing.
Let them have their armadillo cake and eat it, too.
5. Be true to who you are
This is perhaps the most important life lesson of all and one of the hardest to remember.
You are unique.
And special.
And brilliant.
Truly.
There is only one incredible, amazing, wonderful you.
And when the church is full of 400 of your closest friends and your handsome groom is waiting at the end of the aisle and your father takes your arm and the doors open to the most amazing array of pink swags and pink garlands and pink bridesmaids and yards and yards and yards of pink tulle…
….hold your head high and greet the world like the incredible steel magnolia you were born to be.
And later?
When someone compliments you on your pink decorations just shake your head and laugh and tell them it’s actually pink…
…it’s actually “blush” and “bashful.” 
PS Do you have a favorite line or scene from Steel Magnolias? Here’s another favorite of mine “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion.”
And the best movie line ever: “I would rather have 30 minutes of “wonderful” than a lifetime of nothing special.”
And if you want to make the wreath I pictured in the post?
Here’s how to make a magnolia wreath.
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