@Natalie -- To My Body With Love

With Thanksgiving just around the corner I thought it would be a great time to give thanks to the one thing that get's often over looked. OUR BODIES!!! My friend wrote a great blog to honor her body. I had to share. It's honest and funny and true. We're passing it on as a thanks and celebration to self.

Happy Thanksgiving to my activerain family.

Enjoy!

Shaydie :0)

• To My Body, With Love.

  Dearest Body,

  You are truly amazing, if I do say so myself. I just thought that today would be an appropriate day to remind you so.

  Feet, how can I thank you for the many, many miles that you have carried me? I promise I'll do my best from now on to keep you soft, smooth and comfortable. How about a fresh coat of polish on those underrated toes of yours to give you a little boost? Just prop yourself up there. Take a load off.

  Legs, no more will I subject you to the harsh scrutiny in fluorescent lighting and full-length mirrors. You're strong yet soft, and you look fabulous in heels. Rawr.

  Hips, I promise to embrace you and feel proud that you are my own. You are sexy but functional; thank you for providing the perfect place to balance my wriggling children! Your curves are the epitome of feminity. It's possible that you alone may be responsible for the fact that my husband has stuck around as long as he has.

  Butt, you really know how to fill out a great pair of jeans. I can forgive a dimple or two. Besides, you go great with Hips and Legs.

  Belly... oh, belly. You may be a little softer than you used to be, but rock hard abs are not conducive to napping children's heads. You've been stretched out to accommodate life (twice!), only to shrink right back down again (twice!). You've been poked, pierced and prodded, starved and stuffed full. I think you deserve a break. No more will I deny you the occasional Twinkie. It's okay, really.

  Boobs, as the saying goes "The ol' gray mare, she ain't what she used to be!" I think we both (trice? thrice? three?) can admit that you aren't quite as perky as you were 10 years ago. But look at all you've been through since then! You've produced nourishment for 2 babies, endured numerous unsupportive torture devices, and provided hours of entertainment for my husband. Of course you aren't quite the same! However, the three of us know that you still have it... given the right bra, you make for an absolutely fabulous rack. And from what I understand, you are still excellent playthings when the mood is right.

  Arms, I know, I know... I've been known to call you "wimpy." While it's true you might be a little on the (gasp!) scrawny side, you've provided many loving embraces. Sometimes a hug says more than words, and nothing is stronger than that.

  Hands, you are the spitting image (if hands could spit, that is) of my grandmother's hands. You're strong and a little scratchy. Moisturizer is nothing to you! While I have wished for a soft, silky touch, as a young child I found that my grandmother's scratchy hands made for the BEST backrubs... perfect for drifting off to sleep. I think that my own children might agree.

  Face, I think that I owe you the biggest apology of all. You've been picked, stretched, pierced, tanned, plucked, waxed and even slapped. I promise to embrace the freckles, the laugh lines, and even, I suppose, the crow's feet. You are, simply, ME. It's safe to say that I've gotten quite attached to you. You've laughed, you've cried, and your expression always tells the truth. Every line, wrinkle, spot and scar tell the story of my life. I promise to take better care of you from now on. I kind of need you. Despite what I might think sometimes, you really are beautiful.

  Put simply, Body, you are unlike any other. You are mine. I've come to accept -- and love -- a few lines, blemishes, wrinkles and yes, even a little extra chub. You are perfectly imperfect. You are strong. Amazing. Unique. Beautiful. And don't you ever forget it.

  Much Love,

  Natalie