We had a Honda Accord for a few years that was the 89' model I believe. It had over 200,000 miles on it and rusted paint in a few spots but that little baby still ran. These cars are known to be of the old reliable stock and ours certainly was.
What would happen if one day I decided that reliable little car was a worthless piece of junk. So what if it was the best value for my budget and loyal to the end? No, its years of service and memories meant NOTHING to me and I was ready to trash that piecer!
Do you get where I am going with this? It's ridiculous to think there is any way or reason for my 89' Honda Accord to become something brand new and that it is not. Yet, we(especially women) have this exact expectation for our bodies!!!
No amount of sit ups will give me Jessica Biel's swimsuit abs.
No amount of squats will give me Angelina Jolie's legs.
No amount of miles run will give me Jennifer Anistan's cheeks and jawline.
No amount of starvation will grant me a Hollywood upgrade from this body God gave me!
As ridiculous as it is to think my car could become something it wasn't, it is miles beyond ridiculous for women or men to look in a mirror and hope one day it will be anyone but their own face looking back. Beyond it being unhealthy there is a more important point:
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| Honda Accord had a baby this day. No biggie. |
The Honda Accord is comfortable and relatable. It's the car young families go on their first vacation in. It's the car for a first kiss. It's the car whose bumper is dented from "that one time"; a memory that makes the whole family laugh to tears. The Honda Accord is reliable and real, just like you.
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| Do you think this shiny sports car could handle a pregnancy? |
No. You and your stretch marks and wrinkles are too perfect to be in the same category as the clown car. Your signs of life and aging are your battle wounds to be worn with pride. They are what make you alive and real to the children you love and friends you laugh with.
It's time to forget the trade in myth and focus on simply appreciating the masterpiece that is the Honda Accord.
Remember it's all worth it just FOR THE HEALTH OF IT.
*Please feel free to share this post with your friends you think would enjoy it. I just noticed the buttons next to the comment link where you can share it on facebook, twitter, etc. Also, I would love to hear your thoughts or critique. Thanks!
No critique here.... you are fabulous at putting your words on paper (so to speak) I think I'll come back to this post often, to be reminded of what really matters.... the memories of my stretch marks and wrinkles from worry, will be more of a comfort in my old age then a shiny Orange sports car. It'll mean I lived and had children to share it all with.
ReplyDeleteHow true...I still fall into this trap. I was abruptly reminded this week while working out with my trainer the value of simply staying the course. My very first day at the gym, almost a year ago, I was asked to do a certain exercise. I was not even close to being able to do it correctly, it required much more strength, flexibility and balance than I possessed at the time. I have faithfully worked on this same exercise over and over, always with a modification, doing what I can. Then on Tuesday, my trainer proclaimed, "You can do it, Amy". I had my doubts but he has yet to lead my astray so in sticking with my gym mantra, GO HARD OR GO HOME, I went hard, no fear. And I did it, just like that. After almost a year of faithful devotion, I did it!! I gasped in shock and looked at my trainer with total wonder and delight. Luckily, I have an amazing trainer, who totally gets me, who totally gets how hard I've worked and what a big deal that one little victory was after an entire year of effort. There were so many things to be grateful for in that moment and I gave thanks for all of them in my own way. But truly the gift of that moment was momentum, a fresh impartation of momentum, energy and determination to keep staying the course. Kristin, in your blog, I hope others find momentum, support and determination to keep staying their course to fitness and health, just for the health of it!! Keep writing, love it and you!! - amy
ReplyDeleteGreat post! We can make our selves the best version of ourselves, but we can't change into a different make or model.
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this post, I thought about another blog post that I read that talks about the changes a woman's body goes through to have a baby and how it is never the same, but beautiful because of it. Click here to read it...http://babydanser.blogspot.com/2011/05/post-pardum-belly-beauty.html