The art teacher who comes to my classroom always talks to the kids about "fishing." Not the kind that involves hooks and slimy fish, but saying things so people will tell you how wonderful you are. Fishing for compliments. Before I write anymore, I want to make it very clear that this post is not about fishing, it's about acceptance and celebration.
That being said.....this week has week has given us a much needed break from the doldrums of school. The weather has been fantastic, and two extra days away have felt like a week! I had the opportunity to spend Thursday and part of Saturday doing something that I love very much.....shopping. However, as I shopped I found myself wishing that there weren't mirrors everywhere I turned. Why did I wear that frumpy sweatshirt? Why not the shoes that add an extra inch? Jeesh, all of those laps haven't really done much for the figure! I couldn't wait to get out of the mall!
I have slowly accepted the fact that my goal to lose 8 lbs has turned into 18 lbs. And really, what was wrong with those first 8 lbs. anyway? I've learned to celebrate each morning when the scale is the same as it was yesterday.
When I came home from Omaha last night, I had all of these great intentions....no more baking sweets, eating lots and lots of fresh foods, limited this and that...blah blah blah. But the truth is, I love to bake! It makes me think of my beautiful great-grandmothers and aunts who were as round as they were tall. They baked pies, breads, kolaches, and sat all day crocheting and quilting after their tummies were full. Their hearts were happy and content.
So then I got to thinking about what makes me content and happy.....tending to my flowerbeds, digging up more grass to plant more flowers, sewing goods that can be sold for money that will benefit others, baking new recipes and sitting down with a cup of coffee to enjoy the treat, conversations held with dear friends shared over those treats and coffee, laughing on the couch with a bottle of wine and a dear friend while shooing the children away because the conversation isn't "appwopwiate," hearing my parents walk in the door unannounced and the sharing the excitement of the children to know they are here......and wearing an apron that I hope my girls will one day fight over because of all the memories that were created while wearing that apron.
I could probably lose weight....weigh that magical number that my sister and I talk about, but that number is not going to make my heart happy. It's not that I'm opposed to exercise either. I love the quiet solitude of swimming laps. I love the refreshing feeling and the pounding of my heart without my body hurting. I love the feel of my body stretching a little further with each breath as I do yoga, and the absolute feeling of being alive when I'm done. But I do these things because they make me feel amazing. Neither of them has proven a great way to lose weight, but they have proven to be a great way to feel fantastic.
So as today moves forward, I have decided that I am going to celebrate all of the things I am doing: teaching school, attending grad school, parenting two beautiful girls, managing a household, sewing goods to raise money for the needy (we've donated over $1000 so far), gardening, baking, reading, crocheting, and enjoying a stolen evening away here and there to swim some laps in quiet solace. So I may not be a twig, but my heart is very content and happy!
