Venus At A Mirror...

If you're one of my Facebook friends you may have read my recent little update where I lamented the thickness of my waistline and my difficulty in finding something to wear:

"so i was out clothes shopping today and ended up completely frustrated and empty-handed. everything i tried on looked awful and every look in the mirror was just a reminder of how much i need to lose weight. i was going to get myself a pair of spanks but the line was too long and i didn't feel like waiting. ugh...."

A girlfriend that I went to high school with left the following comment: "Spring is coming. We are programmed to store extra weight to survive the winter. We survived. We just need to walk around a bit when it gets warmer. when I feel icky, I look at paintings by Rubens or Titian. You are so gorgeous, be healthy, but don't let the skinny trend of this century get you down."

So I went on a search which turned up the following image breathed a sigh of relief...

Venus At A Mirror
Sir Peter Paul Rubens
17th century Flemish painter
proponent of an extravagant Baroque style that
emphasized movement, color and sensuality.

movement...color....sensuality....(and full figured women) emphasized...

On the complete flip side is one of the newest reality shows called Bridalplasty where brides-to-be compete in challenges to earn plastic-surgery procedures in a quest to win their ultimate dream wedding.

What?!?

cutting....tucking....smoothing....nipping....enhancing....shrinking....

I'm sure that I don't need to tell you how lovely all of the participants were having no need for any kind of surgical procedure to enhance their beauty. It made me sad to think that somewhere in their life they came to believe ~ either by themselves or others ~ that how they looked wasn't good enough.

I tell myself the same thing. I don't know why. I have the body of venus at a mirror and want to be at least 40 pounds lighter. I have a husband who tells me every day that I'm gorgeous and sexy and beautiful; he tells me how attracted he is to me and shows me with his body almost every night. I know I'm blessed in this. Still, those thoughts creep in and wait...did you read what I just wrote?

"I have the body of Venus"

I have the body of Venus!

well....what d'ya know?