Monday, June 03, 2013

I'm 50 and I'm FAT!

We were at church and a friend with whom we have shared a pew with for over 8 years made a harsh comment about someone else in our parish. I was shocked and disappointed but I wasn't unfortunately surprised.

He is quite opinionated and judgmental. Still, I told him I was shocked that he would even think that about someone else, especially someone as nice, and sweet and talented as the subject of his comment.  Our conversation ended there.

But the thoughts carried on, at least for me. The title of this post: I'm 50 and I'm fat is not entirely correct, for I am over 50. But I am indeed fat. I'm not inactive. I don't eat an unbalanced diet. I do exercise and notice when my life has become unbalanced so that exercise has taken a back seat. And probably I do eat more than I metabolically should. But should I be judged for this? Or the results of this?

Of course you will answer: No.  But society as a whole and myself as me judge me this harshly. I catch my reflection in a mirror; I see FAT. Watch me walk down the street and what do you see? FAT! I must watch TV as much as my children. Hardly... 

It's too late for me to think differently about myself. I've been brain washed by marketing specialists for over 50 years to believe Barbie is God. Even though I know she is not...  That if I'm not a single digit size, that I might as well wear a burlap bag. That I will never look good in (or out of for that matter) clothes again.  But hopefully it's not too late for generations to come.

There is more to ourselves than our weight. And of course, this is not an excuse to stop trying to be fit and healthy. Just because "women gain weight at this time of their lives" doesn't mean we break out the chips and dip.

But really we are more than our waist size.


2 comments:

jeff noel said...

Patty, love the transparency.

It would be a dream to see society not look at weight as a beauty thing but rather a heath thing.

The whole point of exercising is to support nourish all the vital organs that keep us alive.

The point of earning and managing money isn't to get rich, it's to be able to function without the assistance of financial assistance from others.

The point of spiritual awakening and growth, isn't to be a saint, it's to be at a place where we can serve others before self. If we can't feed 100, feed one.

The point of being organized isn't to win a better Homes and Gardens feature, it's to manage what we need and be able to find it when we do. And to not be burdened with it's care and security.

The point of our attitude isn't to be Pollyanna, it's to simply be able to handle the never ending onslaught of life's challenges that will either force us to live as survivors or thrivers.

Keep moving forward. A decade worth of progress, in any area of life will astonish the determined, focused, and disciplined warrior.

Patty Hebert said...

Working on the whole balance "thing." Walked to a church meeting this evening. Nourishment on many levels.