Love Not War

As a young woman I struggled with how I looked.  I struggled with the shape of my body, the way I looked in jeans. Heaven forbid I have to think about a swimsuit. I didn't struggle with body image every second of every day, but I had my moments of serious insecurity.

After having babies I had to get used to some permanent changes, as I am not one of those woman who bounces back from pregnancy.  There are years when I am absent from many pictures because of my self-consciousness.

One day I woke up and realized I didn't care anymore. I may be an unmentionable number of pounds overweight, but dangit, I still think I'm cute. That's good enough for me. That doesn't mean that I don't want better for my bod - it just means that I have learned to be alright with where I'm at while I'm there.

Not only can I not put the energy into disliking myself, it's important for my daughters to know that I will never talk ugly about my body.  Nor will I ever make fun of how another woman looks. I have tall friends, short friends, thin friends, and curvy friends and I love them all the same. I really believe that women should never, ever do that. We do our daughters, and all women, a disservice when we perpetuate an unattainable ideal.

We owe it to ourselves, and each other, to be at peace with our bodies, not at war.

A heart at peace gives life to the body,
    but envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 14:30