One of the best ways to express yourself and who you are as an individual is to show it through your style. People are influenced by many things such as the music they listen to, where they are from, or ideas that they believe in. Being from a small town, many people will stereotype and peg you as a 'hick' or a 'redneck', but that is sometimes not the case. As much as I love my roots and love wearing my flannel shirts and cowgirl boots, I feel that I have a couple other sides to me as well.
I was raised by two very eclectic, young ladies. And no, I don't have two moms, and no my parents were not hippies. In my family, I've always been the baby, as well as the only child. My parents had very strong work ethics, so I had a babysitter from the age of 6 weeks until I was able to stay by myself. My first babysitters were Tabitha and Jill Madison. They were the closest thing I've ever had to sisters and have always been a HUGE part of my life. Jill is one of the most spiritual people I know. She is the one I call when I need to talk and I can tell her anything and everything. She has inspired me in so many ways. I can't even begin to describe it. Tabitha was a unique individual who 'marched to the beat of her very own drum'. She loved California, she loved the idea of glitz and glam, and she always dreamed of being rich and famous and living on the beach. She was crazy and wild and a truly awesome person.
A turning point in my life came on May 25th, 2009. Tabitha, at the age of 36, was killed in a vehicle accident. She was the mother of two beautiful children, a loving daughter, and beloved friend. I spent my 18th birthday planning her funeral and mourning the loss of a sister. I spent the next few weeks thinking about how she had changed my life and recalling how a family relative had said to me at her funeral that I had to understand that a huge piece of Tabitha would live on in me forever. Everytime I think about it, I realize how much I act like her and I feel like it's my obligation to her to carry on what she left behind.
This brings me to my second identity that my friends like to call my 'hippie' side. I love the style of natural things, have gone through a 'green' phase, and truly do want "world peace"! I like the eclectic style and dressing like a hippie. When Jill saw my dorm room for the first time, her first reaction, after her infamous happy-screech, was "Bailey, Tabitha would just flip if she saw this!". It always reminds me of her and is a part of me I will always let shine through.
So, therefore, I tend to be a confused person when it comes to my style. I guess there is no reason that I must settle with only one. I like country music, and I like Jack Johnson and The Beatles. I like boots, and I like Jesus sandals. It's just more to love, right?!
In Loving Memory of Tabitha Jo Madison-Triplett
August 24, 1972- May 25, 2009
