The body beautiful

The last several times I have been out rowing on the lake I have seen several of these black looking geese. While I am not sure what they are, they reminded me of the ugly duckling that becomes a beautiful black swan. Curiously, after seeing them multiple times I asked my husband what makes a body beautiful?

His answer both surprised me and didn’t surprise me. He said what made a body beautiful was how a person uses their body, their mind, their smile, their laugh. It’s what’s inside their body and how they treat me and others.

It made me think of my own body and what made it beautiful. It made me ponder what I found attractive in others. Strangely and not so strangely so, it was the same thing that my husband saw. I had an acquaintance once they were large-bodied by the world’s standard, and yet from the moment I met them I was mesmerized by their personality. They had more charisma in their pinky finger than I have in my entire body. Their smile lit up a room and people were immediately drawn to them. Their laugh was infectious and just being in their presences was so enjoyable.

I shared this story with a dear colleague and asked a curious question: If I could feel so drawn to this person who by the world’s standards is large in stature, could people feel the same way about me? My colleague’s response has made me rethink my feelings about my own body and what makes it beautiful. Their answer (and another question): “What would change in your world if people did feel the same way about you?” My answer: “Everything would change.” How I see and operate in the world would change.

What makes a body beautiful is the person who resides inside. I am so grateful to have a body that lets me experience the world and engage with wonderful people like my husband, my acquaintance, and my colleague.

What makes your body beautiful?