The Body We Are Born With

I was born and raised in Southern California, so body image was a huge thing. 

I know it is most everywhere, but California Girls have an image to maintain.

Shout out to The Beach Boys… 🙄 

I always felt I was never thin enough, blond enough, pretty enough…

No one should ever have to worry about such issues, let alone a child or teen…

We need to be taught that we have the exact body we were meant to have, and instead of questioning why we didn’t get the body we wanted, we need to focus on what to do with the body we were issued at birth… the one we need.

For some, it was to be a world class athlete.

A friend recently posted a meme with a quote from Olympic gymnast and gold medal winner Simone Biles:

“They focused on my hair. They focused on how big my legs were. God made me this way, and I feel like if I didn’t have these legs or these calves, I wouldn’t be able to tumble as high as I can and have all of these moves named after me.”

For others, they were given a body that with confidence, perseverance, adaptability and hard work, they could make folks re-think their idea of a professional athlete.

Like Baseball pitcher Jim Abbott, who achieved success at the major league level despite having been born without a right hand:

“There are millions of people out there ignoring disabilities and accomplishing incredible feats. I learned you can learn to do things differently, but do them just as well. I’ve learned that it’s not the disability that defines you, it’s how you deal with the challenges the disability presents you with. And I’ve learned that we have an obligation to the abilities we DO have, not the disability.”

Side note.. dude threw a no-hitter as a Yankee in 1993…

There is a long list of people born with what we may consider less-than perfect bodies… that have overcome obstacles to achieve great accomplishments:

Helen Keller
Stephen Hawking
Ludwig van Beethoven
Franklin Roosevelt
Nick Vujicic (if you don’t know who Nick is, click on this link to find out more about him.)

I know that most of us will never receive the same level of acclaim on these people. That’s okay. That’s not what this is about….

I also think of two people that entered this earth, and may not have touched the world with their presence, but they did touch numerous people personally, even though their bodies were damaged from day one.

I had a friend, who was also named Cathy, that was placed here with a body that would eventually emerge to have Cystic Fibrosis.

We lost Cathy in 2006, at the age of 45.

But those 45 years impacted so many people in such an extraordinary way.

I didn’t know Cathy in her pre-diagnosis days. She was around 30 when we met. Like all of the women in her family she was petite. She was also quiet. But she was also the smartest person in the room, though she would never tell you such a thing. That was not her style.

She was curious about everything and everyone.

When she gave you a present, it was based on your personality, and was often educational, to help take you to the next step on your lifelong path of learning. 

She was a mentor to everyone… and I mean everyone. Even her parents.

She mentored all of her cousins, nieces and nephews. She would take them to museums, plays, concerts. 

She loved the souls inside their bodies and knew the potential they held.

And is definitely had an impact.

• Her cousin, Nick, now teaches Political Science at Linfield College. He is also a successful writer. His latest book, “The Fire is Upon Us” was featured as one of Whoopi Goldberg’s Favorite Things on “The View.”
• Nick’s younger brother, Tony, is also in the process of developing his writing chops, having obtained his Master’s Degree in Creative Writing.
• Her nephew Drew is now attending Nursing School, in part because of her struggles with CF.
• Her niece Sammi is a talented hair stylist, and a mother of the most amazing baby girl.
• Nad her cousin Meryl… who introduced us… was my best friend.

Cathy was an immensely gifted writer and artist. 

I wish I had known her longer.. but I am so blessed to have known her.

As were so many people.

When her family held her memorial service, there were hundreds of people that attended. It was by far, the largest attendance of any service I have been to.

She was under 5 feet tall.
She weighed less than 100 pounds.
She was born into the body that was made especially for her.

And she rocked it.

The other person that impacted so many, and that I was only here for a very short time, was my husband’s Granddaughter, Anna-Marie.

She was born 3 months premature, and left this world at about the same time as she was originally expected to enter it.

She was so tiny and frail.

But the heart of a lion.

I know how she impacted my husband and I.

But I can only imagine the impact she had on her parents and the rest of her family and their friends.

I know she looks out for her two siblings, born after her time on earth. As well as her mom and dad that loved her so much. She is still their guiding light.

She was 8 inches long
She weighed less a pound
She was born into the body that was made especially for her.

And she rocked it as well.

We all must be more accepting of both our bodies and the bodies of others.

What matters most is the spirit inside of those bodies. And we can only get to know those spirits via unbiased, curious, open-minded communication. Coming from a place of love.

A common theme in most religions is that our spirit existed before our bodies were created. I believe that as well. 

I look at our bodies as housing we were issued for our spirit’s time on earth. Specific to our needs during our visit.

No randomness. With complete purpose.

Take care of your body. Remember that it holds the most precious of cargo.