Stripper

Things that went right today:

1) Family night with brownies for dessert

2) Got some new fixtures to improve my master bathroom

3) Shopping for school clothes with my ten year old daughter...time spent just the two of us.

My son has decided to be a stripper. Ok not my 18 year old son thankfully...the baby. No matter what I do he insists on taking his clothes off (yes the diaper too) and running through the house naked. In the past few days I have lost count of how many times I have redressed this boy only to turn around a few minutes later to see him streaking past, laughing as I try to catch him. He finds this game hilarious. Since he is not yet potty trained I am finding it less humerous. But even still it does make me smile a little as I wonder what it would be like to be that free and comfortable with my body. By contrast I spend most of my time trying to keep mine as covered as possible. I am aware of every flaw...too much flab there. Wrinkles showing up there. Feet a little too big. I could go on but let's suffice it to say that my relationship with my body is a bit love/hate. I think this is true for most of us actually...especially women. We beat ourselves up over every tiny little thing that does not compare to the model we saw in the magazine. Never mind that we know technically that the model has been airbrushed and photoshopped and surgically altered. Not to mention that she is probably 17 and has youth on her side. Even still we persist in picking ourselves apart when we look in the mirror. You know what...I think we need to knock it off. No matter what we look like...how tall or short, how skinny or chubby, the color of our skin, eyes or hair, if we are beautiful or plain...our bodies are amazing things. Rather than focus on what is wrong, how about we feel elated with all that is right. I am so grateful today that overall my body is pretty healthy. It is not racked with disease. I can walk, run, jump and play with my family. I have the full range of senses to enjoy. I may not be the most beautiful woman in the world but my babies think I am. Who cares what anyone else thinks anyway? Why avoid a swim suit and miss out on swimming with my kids? Truth be told no one at the pool is really paying any attention to how I look in my suit anyway. They are far too busy worrying over their own imperfections to give much thought to mine. Today I have decided to get over it and love my body for what it is. I don't intend to go as far as the baby and start running through the house naked. So you needn't fear stopping by for a visit. But today when I look in the mirror the face smiling back at me will be a friendly one rather than a critical one. Thanks to the baby for teaching me that lesson. Now where is that boy? I need to get his clothes back on him. Again.