Wednesday, March 5, 2008

A letter to my body

http://www.blogher.com/letter-my-body-3

Dear Body:

I owe you one big fat apology. I've been pretty hard on you. Not physically, really, but I've taken you for granted. I've spent too many years wishing you looked different, weighed less, or were shaped better. I never fully appreciated you. You know the saying, youth is wasted on the young. But you kept my silly ass out of the hospital anyway because you were strong and didn't get sick. You put up with drugs and alcohol and late nights and hours and hours of dancing.

When I was young, I cursed my coordination and my lungs that kept me from being the expected basketball star because I was tall and black. You know what? Never cared for the sport. I was better in arts and crafts anyway. I cursed my eyes which were bespectacled at an early age and invited taunts in the schoolyard. But I've read thousands of books and seen beautiful sunsets.

Then I spent years bemoaning my cute little boobs and padded them and taped them and apologized for them. I even wished I had money so I could make them bigger. Now they're hanging a little lower than they used to be and I should have enjoyed them more! I should have let them enjoy the sunshine more. What was I thinking?!

Oh, don't think I forgot you, poor crappy uterus. I have maligned you these past few years, haven't I? I'm sorry. Things didn't work out as I had hoped, but we've had some good memories. Remember that time I saw inside you and you were all pink and fluffy like candy floss? That was lovely. I'll always remember that. Those bastards think you're good for only one thing, but you and I know differently don't we? Okay, so what if you like to bleed a lot and give me cramps? You're a tough bitch. We've had our battles but we still need each other. I'll never let anyone take you from me without a fight.

You really are a treasure and I've been remiss in polishing you and keeping you as fit as I could. I'll be better from now on. You deserve better. I will treat you to massages as often as I am able. I will put good food in you and go easy on the junk. I'll ease your aches and pains and rest when you need it, we have so much to do in the future. Thank you for keeping my heart beating after I thought it was broken. Thank you for giving me strength to run a 10K. Thank you for getting up after I fell down time after time. Let's smile more, laugh more, you are brilliant!

Love,
Your crazy ass friend.

4 comments:

One View said...

Oh my gosh, what a great honest letter. We all should be more grateful to our bodies and what its allowed us to do. I often forget that too and we are so hard on ourselves. Thanks for sharing.

Pamela T. said...

Very glad you're participating...!

Guera! said...

Found your blog tonight. We are snowed in here in Ohio....our biggest storm of the season, so I thought I would cruise around for interesting blogs to read and possibly provide a link on my blog for. I very much enjoyed reading your posts tonight and will check back for more.

luna said...

I love this letter. especially the part about your heart.

I was also cursed by fibroids that have caused so many problems... hate them (if this was my blog, I'd be cursing here).

~luna