On my thirtieth birthday (yes, I turned thirty this year) I slowly raised myself from the warmth of my duvet and turned on the shower to begin my morning ritual. I undressed from my winter sleepwear and while the shower began to fill the room with steam I looked at myself in the mirror and was shocked at what I saw. Slowly, my body had changed.
Startled, I examined my body thoroughly and saw that my once tight skin was starting to sag, my under arms were flapping and my legs were gathering fat where muscle used to be. Not exactly what I want to see on the morning of my birthday, but there was a part of me that was happy that I was aging. My aging body was telling me that I’m no longer an awkward teen, or an early twenty year old girl trying to be a woman.
With all the media attention stating that ‘real beauty’ is being rail thin, with a six pack, legs a mile long, and long blonde hair; I should feel ugly. I should feel like there is walking billboard before me saying “Find out who isn’t staying in shape” with a huge photo of myself in the most unflattering position (because the media would get the most attention from that). Thankfully, this is not the case.
I don’t want to my whole life to be filled with hate for my body, that is not the type of memory or leagcy I want to leave behind. I want to appreciate everything it does for me and in return what I do for it. I want my other sisters and daughters in this world to feel that they truly beautiful because they are shaped differently than the girl next to her. I’m tired of hearing that there are as many as 10 million females and 1 million males living in the US fighting a life and death battle with anorexia or bulimia. We need to stop beating ourselves up because we don’t look like what the media portrays as beautiful. We are beautiful, exactly as we are!
Even though I know I should practice my yoga more, run more, eat more salads and less cheese I love this body that I’ve been blessed with. Even though my body is changing I am accepting it as my own way of showing everything it’s been through. The successes, the tears and fears, the weight gains and weight loss. I want to celebrate everything my body has done for me!
Will you celebrate your changing and aging body with me? I’m eating a piece of dark chocolate already!
No matter the change of your body, you look like a stunning 30’er 🙂
And I must say, the 30’s feel like the best years, so it’s another new beginning for you 🙂
I love this Leslie!!! I am celebrating right along with you in my 40th year!!
I am going to print this and read it daily!