My Body - My Enemy

My personal journey with my body.  

Women are hard on themselves. I didn’t grow up in the age of social media. I had Cheryl Tiegues and Cover Girl trying to guide my looks in the 1970’s when I was just hitting the formative years.  The 80’s weren’t much more dangerous as far as social pressure.  So why do I and all other women my age struggle with body image? We didn’t fight what these kids are now? 

I’ve had 5 kids and the body road map to prove it.  Honestly the stretch marks are the only think I Like about what’s happened to me through the years.  I embrace those and if they ever fully faded away I would be sad. 

I'm now 50 years old and I have crepe skin.  I do moisture therapy treatments ... it sags anyway.  Not because I'm fat or because I didn't have a moisture regimen in my 30s.... it sags anyway because it's supposed to as you age.  I'm not saying give in and gain all the weight, let your skin go, wreck your body with chocolate for breakfast and alcohol for lunch and dinner.  I'm saying accept where you are.  If you're married and your man isn't interested anymore.... some (SOME) of that has to do with age... some of it needs to be livened up with your imagination and willingness to become or try something new in his eyes.  

I exercise and my stomach goes down ... but it comes back again because when I'm on the road or with family, I eat differently than I do at home.   There are days I look in the rear view mirror and am shocked at how accurate the term "turkey neck" applies to this age.  Not to me.  Just to this time of life.  

I attended a funeral recently and saw many many people I haven't seen in years.  When I saw them I didn't notice their turkey neck or crepe skin, when I saw them I looked in their eyes and remembered.  When I have history with people and I see them again for the first time in a long time, I see everything that makes them part of my life.  I see the man with the brightest blue eyes from high school.  They're still there and he's still genuinely interested in how everyone is.  I see the gal who was an old heifer to me in high school because she was older than me and although I didn't talk to her ... I'm positive she's still a heifer.  I saw the man who worked for my dad for years and I still see his eagerness to learn and be a part of my family.  I saw the man who lived with my family for a few years and he's still the guy with the biggest heart I've ever met.  

The doctors have attached many ICD10 codes to my charts over the years in the form of diagnosis.  Because of them, I stand funny, my skin looks a certain way, my stomach has a difficult time remembering it's supposed to have a waist and although I exercise to combat them for health and strength reasons, I'm pretty positive when people saw me they remembered precious times with me ... and maybe they noticed my Mustang.  LOL  I really don't think they took inventory of my waistline.  If you have someone who you think will..... Stop talking to them.  

Social Media has come into our lives and enriched it so much.  I can see all of these people I love almost on a daily basis on all the sites.  I communicate with a huge number of them and I would never have known anything more than idle gossip without them.  

Social Media has wrecked our lives.  It has taken our minds and our bodies and used them as weapons against us.  Sally used a filter and now Beth can't bear to post her bingo flaps and Karen just scheduled some form of plastic surgery.  

Don't get me wrong - if I can afford it I may be calling a plastic surgeon someday. But Someday isn't today.  Social Media tells me my body is my enemy.  That's wrong.  Some of the diagnosis I've received, Those are my enemy, but my body was perfectly and wonderfully made for me by God.  All of those diagnosis, coupled with age, those are the things I fight - I do not fight myself any longer and my heart goes out to those of you who still do.  

Blessings y'all 

We need 'em every day.  

HW