Ramble and Rant

So I just read this article, and it stirred some strong emotions in me. I am super not a fan of this Abercrombie & Fitch quote, I mean, how shallow can you get? I was also an unattractive, overweight kid in my earlier years, and I'm beginning to be grateful for that. I feel that that time I spent knowing I wasn't supermodel material, or anything remotely close to it, helped me to develop a REAL personality. A song by Hot Chelle Rae that plays at my store says "She knows she's hot, but that's all she's got," and I think that hits the nail on the head. I'm not saying that no one who is naturally gifted in physical appearance can be a good person, I know some very sweet and intelligent attractive ladies, but I think it's very hard. Naturally good-looking people generally don't have to work as hard to make friends, 'cause all the not-so-attractive people are clamoring to be near them, to bask in their glory - and that is so WRONG! In High School I struggled a lot with coming to terms with my appearance not being all that I wanted it to be. I was never one of the 'popular kids', but guess what? I still had OODLES of friends! More than I knew what to do with! I was popular in my own way, because I did EVERYTHING my own way. I didn't let my mediocre stature get in the way of having fun, and helping other people have fun as well. Here's the thing - if you are shallow, your friendships will be shallow. If you feel better when you're making other people feel worse, people won't actually enjoy your company. SHOCKING, right? But if you build people up, if you're there when they need you, people will choose to be around you, no matter what you look like. If you're comfortable in your own skin, then you will help those around you to be comfortable in theirs. (Think of the funny, fat comic relief character that there is in so many popular movies - that's me :) ) There's a reason we are all made differently! If everyone was skinny, no one would care. We also wouldn't have sexy curvy people like me ;) Everything has an up side and a down side, and you have to learn to accept them both, or YOU WILL NEVER BE HAPPY! I'm making progress myself on accepting that thick, healthy hair takes WORK to make it look good. I'm learning that the chest that I am rather proud of comes with thick thighs, and that's just how it is. Here's my brilliant idea - I wish that we really could switch bodies with someone else, just for a day, so that each of us could experience the ups and the downs of other body shapes, so we could better appreciate our own. I have met a number of those fabulous-looking super-skinny girls that have told me to my face that they wish they could see what it was like to be bigger, so it's not a one-sided desire. I'm sure I would love having a trim tummy and hair that hung straight without effort, but I would miss being ME. I would miss the strength of my swim team legs, my strong, capable lungs, and my durable, fast-growing fingernails. It's the small things that are hard to recognize as blessings and strengths that I think we would miss the most if we WERE able to try out another body.

I have a challenge for you - and I can see how many people have looked at each post, so I will KNOW how many of you whimped out on me. For every person who reads this whole thing, I want you to put down a comment with 2 or 3 things that you love about your body. It's not bragging, it's honesty! I think we could all use a little more honesty around here, it's good for the soul.

I am 5 foot 6 1/2 inches, last time I weighed myself I was 147 lbs (although it's been a while, I don't weigh myself often, and I'm OK with that.), I'm a 36C, and I love my body. It can do so many amazing things! I am very blessed. I am the way God made me, and there just isn't any better way to be!