As you can see from the title of my blogsite (Joyful Reflections), I usually try to keep my blogs JOYFUL Yesterday, a post that I read really upset me.. NOW--before I write anymore, let me say that I'm not unhappy at all with the person who wrote the post. She did not mean to hurt anyone's feelings at all. It was just meant in jest. In fact, it was WHERE she got the picture above that upset me.
Like many other people, I have struggled with my weight ALL of my life, especially after I had my first child (1963). Unless one has been in my shoes, he or she truly does not understand those of us who have weight problems. Skinny people (or even people who have never been very large) just think that all we 'fatties' need to do is to just push back from the table.
WELL-- I'm here to tell the world that exploiting fat people (or really skinny people, or anyone who has a big bump on their nose, or ANYONE who just for whatever reason looks different) is just not right... The picture above was in a 'health retreat center' where people go to get healthier. It was there to encourage fat people to obviously get skinny. WELL--all of the health professionals in the world will tell you that exploiting a fat person does not give them incentive to lose weight. It just pushes them farther and farther down into a deep hole. Shame on that retreat center for posting that picture --in order to make others laugh.
There was a time when I sang a solo in a recital. My mother was present for that event. After the recital, she (bless her soul) came up to me and the first words out of her mouth were: "You look very large on that stage." Talk about breaking my spirit.... She didn't say a word about how I sang. It was all about how I LOOKED. My mother thought that by shaming me, I'd lose some weight. Things like this just work in reverse. My self-esteem just kept falling!
I have allowed my weight to control me most of my adult life (instead of me controlling it). I have lost and gained more weight through the years than one can imagine. Well--my life changed dramatically a few years ago when George came into my life. This wonderful man loves me for ME---whether I'm heavy or not. ALL of a sudden, he gave me a real reason to WANT to get and stay healthy. For you see, an overweight (or do I dare use the word, obese) person can't lose or won't lose until he or she cares enough about him or herself to make that lifestyle change. Nobody can do it for them and especially, nobody can shame a person into losing weight.
Several things have happened to me over the past seven years:
1. I'm HAPPY---and I'm HAPPY with me even though I will always be a BIG gal.
2. I have made a lifestyle change --and have added exercise and healthy eating to my life.
3. I know now for the first time that I'm an OKAY person, a child of God, and that I'm okay in God's eyes being just who I am.
4. AND---I now have much more confidence in myself and more self-esteem. All of those people who have laughed at me or made fun of me through the years can just go and "fly a kite"!!!! (I could use another term here. ha ha) They are not going to put me down any longer!!! Praise God!
I would love to talk to that Health Retreat Center about that photo... We ALL cannot look alike. There are big people and small people ---and when, as a country, are we going to realize that It's OKAY to be different, one from another??? I truly have had a good life and I wouldn't change much of anything in it--all through the years. What I would hope to change is the exploitation of those who are, for whatever reason, DIFFERENT. Enough of my sermon for today!!!!! Thanks for listening... I'll get back to the JOYFUL stuff tomorrow!!!!