I can be really harsh when I talk about my body. A lot of negative emotions come flooding in when my Facebook memories show a girl who was in the best shape of her life, with effortlessly wavy hair, and energy for days. I loved that girl, and I still do. But I don’t want to go back to her.
When I look down, I see legs with little wrinkles and dimples. Would I say that they’re cute? Nope, but I remember that those legs carried my babies in the womb and continue to carry them when they need love from their mom. Those same legs are likely unshaven, too, because long luxurious baths for me have been replaced by long bubble baths for my kids, and that’s okay.
When I am putting on my jeans, I thank our good Lord for the high-waisted trend. Sure, it’s nice to have my rounder belly look a little flatter, but it’s also great for when I am running around town with my kids, picking them up, picking their toys up, and all the movement we experience as a mom–but without the risk of showing my rear end.
In the mirror, I see my hair that once held natural beach waves and now is left kinky and oily. I miss being able to take my hair out of a wet bun and have it ready to go, but what I love even more is when my daughter pets my head when we are lying down watching movies together.
When I wear a tank top, I see arms that are not as thin as I would like them to be–arms that used to immediately go to my hip for a photo opp with friends. Now, those arms are the place where I held my newborn to nurse for the first time. They are the arms my toddler runs to when she walks in the door from school. They are the arms that hug my husband in the brief moments in our morning routine before we fly out the door to daycare and our jobs. They are arms that have carried a heavy load (physically and mentally), and they represent strength and perseverance.
Motherhood is transformative — body, mind, and soul. So, why the pressure to go back to who we were before? Why not celebrate who we are now? Celebrate every dimple, every curve, every pound lost, every pound gained. Celebrate who we are, and not who we will be or who we once were. Our bodies are miracles. Celebrate them as such!
