I've been thinking about Tasha's advice to learn to love my body, as it is right now. It's no easy task, let me tell you. But I've decided to start with my hands. I can love my hands.
When I was young, I was even a little bit vain about my hands -- I thought they were quite pretty. In a high school art class, we had an assignment to draw our non-dominant hand, and I'm embarrassed to say it was one of my favorite assignments.
Today, they're not pretty anymore. My fingers look like little sausages now, and my nails really take a beating with the daily grind. They're even starting to show signs of the arthritis my grandma has -- my knuckles are big and knobbly.
But here's the thing: I love love love all that my hands can do. They can cook, play the piano, type, make books, turn the pages of books, appreciate soft fabrics, drive, feel a fevered brow, give hugs, write thank-you notes, lead music, rake leaves, fold laundry, tie bows, put puzzles together, file, make lists, take photos, make quilts, cut with scissors, wrap gifts, carry groceries, embroider, hammer a nail, brush teeth... is there any end to the things my hands can do? For that, I love my unpretty hands, and I am so grateful for the use of them.
{You know, as I was typing this, it was all sounding really familiar and I wondered if perhaps I've posted about this before? If so, then I'm really not making much progress in learning to love my body...}
13 comments:
I love it Michelle. No one can love your hands more than you do, because they help you live and love. I think we wait for someone else to love our bodies and then we will, but the reality is that its OURS to love.
For the record, I do not love what my hands look like either, but I do love what they can do!
You have posted about this before and I think it is good to re-visit it. I loved your insight the first time and enjoyed reading it this time. I often marvel at the amazing things my hands can accomplish and I know I take them for granted. I love that you can re-appreciate them. Hands are something to be grateful for and a reason to love and accept your body.
What a great post. I agree it's definitely the small things we should recognize and be thankful for. Despite what you think you have great nails. I don't think I have EVER had long nails except in highschool when they were acrylic. Now, well they are stubbing and I bite them.
I often feel guilty when my mind starts criticizing my hands. I'm always wishing they were softer, prettier and just better looking but whenever I think that I also think "but I'm so thankful that they work" and then I'm okay again.
Cool post.
I can relate, when I want something cute I work on my hands and my feet, the rest is a lost cause! I think you have something to appreciating what they do for us rather than what they look like.
I love my feet, right now. My hands are really wrinkly like my moms, but my feet...they aren't bad at all.
I don't remember the other hand post, but I love your list of reasons to love your hands. It makes me love my hands too!
Great idea! When you sit back and really think about it, it is truly amazing what our entire body does for us on a daily basis. I think our hands do the brunt of the work though.
Your post reminds me of the Primary song, in a good way.
Your hands are pretty, I love your nails.
What a great place to start. I often wonder how my life would change if I were tragically injured and lost use of a limb-especially a hand or arm. I wonder if I would still find joy in life? Frightening to consider.
i love your post...mostly because I feel the same, it's hard to be positive about our bodies but for the sake of our self worth, and as an example to our children we really need to try (especially our daughters). I decided I love my hands too. My hands are identical to my mothers, I noticed that while I was in college...I think that makes me love them even more.
what a fantastic post! I loved it. It reminds me when I was a temple ordinance worker and how I LOVED and LOVED innitiatories. They are WONDERFUL to hear and re-hear...I think if we heard them every week things would definately change for us! I just saw today in Oprah about teh girl that lost her arm on a motorcycle accident...how true! it is not to take for granted anything. You are amazing!
Don't take this the wrong way, because your hands don't look old to me in the least, but I love aged hands. They hold so much history. You've helped me to think about all of the creating, cleaning, soothing, cooking, gardening, and mothering that my hands have done. They still have so much to do and by the end of my life they will be wrinkled and worn out. But I will never resent that. Your hands look beautiful in your picture. They're beautiful in their own right and because of the tribute you paid to them. Love your hands.
Although, I have to say, I think you're on your way to loving your body. In my mind loving your body and liking your body are completely seperate activities. Loving your body is realizing it's value and taking care of it. You are trying to eat better and exercise. That's loving your body. You may not like your body very much right now, but as you continue to love it you will come to like it much better!
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