Friday, May 7, 2010

Being Mom is Hard, and Beautiful

Have you seen this video yet? Stephanie Nielson, of NieNie Dialogues, is the subject of this film. It’s heartwarming, and might just make you cry. My favorite part is at the end. She says something along the lines of “I am not my body.” So interesting!

I mean, it’s true…and it’s not. You know how when you’re in high school, and your Mom says “You’re beautiful! This is the BEST you will ever look!” Or maybe it’s just me. Anyhow – I DIDN’T BELIEVE HER. Not for a second. I was a work in progress…one continual round of dieting. I assumed that would remain the case for the rest of my life!

The day I got married, I have to admit – I looked pretty smokin’. I was too nervous to eat during the month leading up to the big day, which took care of my waist. Oh, and a healthy round of birth control took care of the girls! My dress fit like a glove.

Then I had kids. After my first, I somehow managed to cling to an extra 10 pounds. After my second, those ten pounds were gone. Yea for a great nursing baby! I was back down to my wedding weight. And I should have been thrilled.

WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME! Oh, wait. They did. I’m back to the same weight…and it just. doesn’t. matter. There is no way I’m ever going to look the way I looked the LAST time I saw those numbers on the scale.

And you know what? I think I’m ok with that. My body shows proof of some of my proudest accomplishments in life. And yet, I am not my body. I am beautiful. We all are. Just in different ways. Different from each other. Different from how we were. Different from how we will be. Our grandkids will think we are beautiful, because we will be Grandma. Our husbands think we are beautiful, because we are theirs. Our kids think we are beautiful because we are the ones that sneak them fruitsnacks during church.

Remember, ladies. You are your body...and you’re not.

2 comments:

  1. Gah, I can't get this video to play on my computer!

    Awesome post, Mama.

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  2. I watched this with my kids. So beautiful! Before I married Jon I told him that both my grandmother's died from breast cancer so he had to be able to love me even if I had to have my breasts removed, or lost all my hair. It is important that people acknowledge that love has to be more than skin deep.

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