I was at a workshop a few days ago, when we got to have a break, the lady that was sitting near me made a comment about the treats they had. I looked at the display and said, “not for me”. She looked at me with an unfriendly tone and responded, “you are skinny you can eat it”. I looked at her with a smile, “sorry I am not supposed to eat sugar. I will pass but if you want some go for it.” She walked toward the table and grabbed a cookie.
I always found it interesting when individuals are making statements like, you are skinny, you are fat, you are tall, you are small… Do you have any idea exactly what it takes for that person to get their body going?
I believe, that unless you are that person, you cannot truly appreciate what it takes to not only maintain but make sure you can function every day. Do you know what pain I am in? Do you know how to live with an immunodeficiency? Do you know which of my organs needs support? Do you know if the pain in my joints is under control?
It is not the first time I have heard these kinds of comments, being envious or admiring someone’s features doesn’t mean that person is living in bliss every day. If I had to explain what it takes to run my body, some people would give up and that is for sure. When I was younger I did things that I knew I would pay for down the road. Adding to that, the genetics received from my ancestors, you have a cocktail that most people would not want.
Looking at someone’s physique thinking they are looking better by today’s standard is superficial. We can easily have our bodies altered. But the inside cannot be changed whatsoever. Do not compare your physique with anyone, we all have, except for identical twins, different bodies. I would never compare myself to my sisters, we are not the same height nor size.
If you feel uncomfortable in your skin maybe you should start to accept who you are first. Than you can see what you could do to improve what you do not like about yourself. Look for the beautiful features you have. We, as a society, have been conditioned to “beauty standards” that most people do not fit. Those are illusions that was created by the fashion industry. If you look back at history, each century had their “standards”, be proud of who you are.
When I was at that workshop, I wasn’t looking at the physical body but the spiritual body. I saw beautiful spirits in that room, including that lady. When you start to look at the spiritual body, you can see pure beauty.