27 is rapidly approaching. I don't want to get old. I still think I am 19, and newly married, not almost 27 and married almost eight years ago. My body looks nothing like it did eight years ago. It has changed, dramatically. Not only from giving birth to my two great children, my body has endured much since I said Yes to the man I love.
It began shortly after we were married, two weeks in fact, my lupus attacked my appendix, and they were taken out. It was the first surgery scar on my body. Little did I know what my future would hold. I look in the mirror and my body is no where near the same, there are tell tale signs of surgeries, and the scars that are covering me.
Each of them have a story, they have molded me to who I am. My body has fought to be here, it has fought to live. It has fought to breathe and to make it through some of the battles.
I have resented the stretch marks, that things are not what the once were. That things are not as tight, and after nursing two children I need to lift things more than ever. But recently I can look at it and say my children have greatly blessed my life. My scars all over my body have blessed my life greatly in many spiritual ways. I have learned and grown and have more compassion for others. I have prayed many times to feel comfortable in my own skin, and while I don't love everything I see all of the time, I do most of the time. It is a process... Something I blogged about the other day. I am slowly feeling like I like my body. When I take time to reflect on all my body this skin has done for me, and all it has went through I love it. I love how strong it is. The brute strength that was inherited from my Dad. I take pride in it. I am different than I was 8 years ago, but different is good.
I am a mother, a wife, a daughter of God. I do not have the perfect body for the world, but I have the perfect body for me. I can look at the scars the distortions and I remember many events in my life who shaped me to become the woman I am today. No longer the girl who I was when I was married, but a woman.
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For more Woman to Woman please visit the creators of this Seeds From My Garden, Morning Glory, and Lei of My Many Colored Days. Also feel free to join in!
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11 comments:
"I am a mother, a wife, a daughter of God. I do not have the perfect body for the world, but I have the perfect body for me."... that is all anybody can hope for Lee. I appreciate your perspective on this and how your battles with your health have made you so strong. Kudos for that!!!
Thanks for particiating... and I hope you will again and again!
Life treats us all differently, but it isn't so much how it treats us as it is how we respond to it. And you are responding remarkably well. I love the strength you possess.
I hope you have a happy day!
Good for you for baeing stronger because of your battle scars. I am, too, but my scars do not show physically.
I really liked your post. I can sense the strength you have gained through your life's experience. I hope that is the kind of perspective we can give our children.
I don't know why we as women have this warped sense of what we should look like, especially after going through pregnancy, surgery, etc. I have always (and still do) hate the way my body looks now, but at least I'm slowly coming to terms with it and accepting it as it is. It's so hard, especially when I get complimented by my husband. I just can't see how he can be physically attrracted to me. Thanking my lucky stars he is, because he's been a huge help for me in my journey to accept the body that's now mine.
What an honest writing! I so appreciate your thoughts on this. I also hugely admire people who have come through great health issues and emerge on the side of optimism.
Thank you for being part of this. I hope you'll join in again.
This is a sweet post! I like the idea of having the perfect body for me--never thought of it that way.
A funny thing--My name happens to be Randi Lee (that is my first and middle names) so I thought it was fun that I matched names with you and your hubby!
Lee, I really enjoyed your post. I can totally relate (umm, except for the lupus. That must have been hard.) I was in church the other day looking around and all of the sudden it dawned on me that I am not one of the "newlyweds" or "just starting out" couples any more. I have a 7 year old! Isn't is weird how life creeps up on you?! You are a strong woman for having gone through so much already! Your kids are adorable!
Lee - you are awesome! I love these posts where you write so openly. I too have struggled with my body and how I think I'm being perceived by others. Hopefully one day we will all be happy in the skin we're in :)
thanks for sharing, I'm sure most of us relate. Unfortunately we all tend to compare our worst traits with others best traits,we will never win that way! You are beautiful!
Once again you've brought tears to my eyes. I couldn't have said it better. You are such an inspiration. Love ya!!!!! Thanks for being my friend, cause you're pretty awesome!
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