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Wednesday 22 September 2010

Beauty CAN be relative

Beauty is twice beauty and what is good is doubly good when it's a matter of two woolen socks in winter. Pablo Neruda, Ode To My Socks

As I read this poem, I was taken in by Pablo Neruda's vivid descriptions of his new socks made especially for him and which, at times, as he looked at them adorning his feet, they took his breath away. As the poem goes on, one gets the feeling that it's not just the wool or the colors or the feel, but the fact that they were lovingly made for him and that they are protecting his feet. And then, finally, he ends with his moral of the story: they are even more than they are, when they are his to have when he needs them the most!

This is often how we feel about our weight and level of fitness. That is, we appreciate our health and fitness and how it makes us look and feel, but we are THAT much more appreciative and happy when we need to look and feel our best for an event or when we meet up with people we haven't seen in awhile or when we just want to show to whomever for whatever that we look and feel GOOD. OR after we've come out of a period of letting ourselves go or being sick. When we don't have our health, fitness, or glowing good looks, we long for them. Which is why we really need to just work at looking our best against the reference of OURSELVES, not someone else. If you look and feel great 20 lbs less than you were, then savor that and feel great in that. Don't start obsessing about needing to lose 20 more lbs to be as thin or as beautiful as someone else. When we set our goals and standards unrealistically, we set ourselves up for failure and negativity.

Rejoice in your own socks! Especially when you've worked hard at making them, surrounded by all the supportive people and tools that helped you create them! Be happy in your accomplishment, especially when you know how far you've come from where you were and how great you feel in how and who you are NOW! You're BEAUTIFUL!

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