I mean, I'm incredibly lucky that I'm healthy, active and still have unrestricted use of my ankles and knees. I can run, frolic, skip and canter with the best of them but somehow find myself skidding to a stop when I catch a glimpse of my little bumpy frame in the reflection of a passing mirror/picture glass window. *Ugh* I have no idea why I can't reconcile myself with the realities of physical aging (I mean, my chubby tummy is a well worn symbol of the three babies I gratefully carried to term; my ample backside is a familial gift of thriving genetics; my stocky legs are carry-overs from, I'm positive, good solid farming stock).
But personally, I think one of of the biggest reasons I have such a hard time with these silly imperfections is because of several cultural factors.
Take exhibit A:
There is absolutely NO way I could EVER look like this (unless I undergo the knife several times!)But take Exhibit B:
Now we're talking! In my humble opinion, the ancients had it right all along ... big, bulbous and beautiful! I really should focus on old measures of beauty and start filtering the ridiculous versions we have today!
10 comments:
Barbie has serious issues. talk about high maintenance! Oy!
As for the rest of it,allow me to say, demonstrating all of my sensitive modern guy attitudes - I seen ya. I'd hit that.
;)
bring it on, big man, bring ... it ... on!
GET A ROOM YOU TWO! :)
I was going to write some supportive comment about body image... Then, I read Pos' and Molly's comments. And, I know have to say.... Ugh!! I agree with Hedy!! GET A ROOM!
*tee hee*
[happily married to a big bum-loving man!]
The trouble is everytime we get a room, she immediately puts on her flannel jammies and goes to sleep.
I feel like our culture has made it a requirement that females hate our bodies. It's terrible, the self-loathing I see all around me, and experience within me. When I was in treatment for anorexia nervosa, my group therapist used to make us look at older art works of women. She would point out, rightly so, that the standard of beauty throughout most of history was a healthy, curvy, rounded female. I think this is the first time in history that emaciation is a beauty standard or a badge of willpower rather than a sign of starvation or illness. It's so unfair. I'm sure you're a beautiful woman. Your husband surely seems to think so! :)
Gwen -
Thanks for such a profound and deeply personal comment. I can't imagine how difficult it would be to struggle with an eating disorder; it seems like such a agonizing battle.
For me, I'm happily sliding into a more mellowed acceptance of my curves and bumps -- the key is to not spend much time in front of full length mirrors and pick comfy, yet flattering clothes!
Oh, I'm right there with ya. I just look at myself in the mirror and think, "What? I didn't know ageing was gonna suck this bad!" I haven't had kids yet and I know when I do, my boobs that have never been adequate to begin with will shrivel, my gut will actually get bigger than it is now which is really hard for me to believe is possible and many other things will likely happen such as more damn chin hair and more of those pesky gray hairs I currently pluck from my bangs.
Our culture doesn't prepare us to accept our bodies' changes over time. It prepares us to hate what we have when it's as good as it's gonna get (constantly comparing it to the bodies we see on commercials), and then forever grieve the body we never appreciated to begin with.
Blues -
You really hit it on the head; all that aggravation and no appreciation for what is really good about ourselves (inside and out)!
Great having you stop by ...
:-)
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