An ode to summer…
To the Woman at the Swimming Pool with the “Perfect Body”
The water glistens and ripples
Pool blue and inviting
I see your body and immediately feel shame
On a deep level I know it is nothing about you
But about me and my body-mind game
That it will never be good enough
That I will never be good enough
I sit and dwell
And stew
The way I perceive my body
If you only knew
Do I need to change me
To be more like you?
Losing focus on why I am there
The love I have of swimming and treading and kicking
That I feel free when I do so
My muscles tensing and retracting
My legs pushing me from one end to the other
For the moments that I focus on you
And what I project
I lose sight of all of that
Of what really matters
You have no idea the power you hold
Or that we have placed on you
All of us with bodies that we deem “flawed”
(and maybe that’s you…too?
I really have no idea what you’re going through)
Or that society says are askew
The pain of countless souls
A communal weeping
I place all of this onto you
You don’t deserve that
I don’t deserve that
No one, No body deserves that
The messages that we receive are the villains
And try to be the thief of joy
Comparison is the thief of joy
And yet all of us can relate
To that thought that says
I must change
There’s something wrong with me
Lose weight
But only in the “right” areas
Then you will truly love yourself
Thin is “in”
Fat is “out”
Where do you fall?
Try to catch the moving needle
Of body image ideals
It will never stop
You will never win
I look at all of us at the pool
Men women kids babies
Laughing
Splashing
And I feel anger
Anger at the power of body shame
And judgmental standards
Power
Rises up in my throat
Like a ravenous flame
A fight to change the dialogue
All bodies are good bodies
We all deserve the same
And I dive into the cool refreshing pool
Holding my breath
-name withheld
#healthateverysize #bodyacceptance #selfacceptance
#bodyimage #recovery #advocacy
#eatingdisorderrecovery
#enjoythedamnpool