Photo Credit: Sue Barr Photo
Two years ago, I started a “Grateful” week on The Traveling Circus blog. I used every day leading up to Thanksgiving to write about something I was grateful for. This year I wanted to do the whole month of November. I’m so very grateful for so many things I figured why only talk about it for one week? If Halloween can last a month, why not Thanksgiving?
Then I started a cleanse. What’s a cleanse you ask? Hell, is the short answer. The long is that I can’t eat sugar, animal products, gluten, or drink caffeine for two weeks. I drink a lot of green smoothies and eat a mostly veggie diet with a few whole (non-wheat) grains thrown in.
Needless to say, my head is a little foggy from the detox that happens when you rid your body of all of those things I mentioned and when I sat to write what I was grateful for, I couldn’t form thoughts, much less coherent written sentences. So I looked at the old blog for some inspiration and you know what? That first entry was good enough that it bears repeating. I’d love if you join in in the comments section. Read what I’m thankful for then share what you’re thankful for. Let’s make Thanksgiving last as long as Halloween did!
From November 17, 2009
My body might not be a perfect size 6 but no matter the tag on my jeans, it has never let me down in all of my 35 years. My body ran a marathon. My body has packed and moved more times than my brain can count.
My body helped create, nurtured and birthed three perfect, beautiful children. It was not easy, but my body did it-each time I asked it to. My body allows me, every day, to wake up and pour, pack, stroll, chase, bound, tickle, swim, sword-fight bad guys, sit on the floor for puzzles and crafts, bend to tie a shoe and lay to snuggle. My body allows me to be a fun mom and a fast mom and a strong mom whenever I need to be. My body fights infections so that I am a healthy mom. My body puts up with the abuse I give it and comes back for more every single morning.
My body was responsible-in part- for snaring my husband all those years ago. Despite the overuse and occasional overindulgence that have added years and inches to this body it can still, on a good day, stop my husband in his tracks. What more can you ask from your body?
It is a good body. It is a strong body. It is a useful and dependable body, It is not a perfect body. But it is mine and I am forever thankful.
An Update: Since this post was written I have worked hard on my body. It doesn’t look like it did when I wrote this post two years ago but yesterday, lying in the tub trying to undo my detox headache and body pain, I looked at my body in disgust. All this hard work and it still doesn’t look the way I want it to. Then I remembered all that it can do and that it is way smaller, and stronger than it was six months ago and all the parts that I still don’t like but are stubbornly hanging around are directly linked to giving birth and I’d never take that back for all the flat tummies in the world. So I sent those ugly thoughts away and focused instead on all that I should thank my body for instead.
What are you thankful for? Share. It’ll make you feel good. I swear!
P.S. Looking for more parenting guidance and tips for self-care? Check out From Chaos to Calm a guided training to help you feel better in this tough season.
You give good energy Cristie. Thanks for the reminders that perfect is overrated and “who we are” and “how we got here” is everything. I’m thankful for healthy, happy, active children. They are my blessings and I count them daily… sometimes hourly. Great post. Thanks!
Thank you! Remembering your children are a blessing isn’t always the easiest thing to do.:) Kidding. Thanks for reminding me though to be more focused on their goodness.
I love this! I’ve been feeling the same (though not taking your impressive actions) and you’ve put my body into a whole new perspective. I’m thankful for the sweet little footsteps coming down the hall right now even though I’m sick as a dog and didn’t sleep all night.
I hope Kevin doesn’t punch me in the face for this; but, the first time I ever saw you was at my daughter’s 5th birthday party. I was on crutches, and you were talking to my wife. The first thought that entered my mind was, ‘WOW!’ You were wearing a black outfit from your Mary Kay days (still doing that?) and the outward confidence you exuded was barely commensurate with your physical beauty.
You and my amazing wife (and probably every other woman on the planet) are WAY too hard on yourselves. The aesthetic eye candy we see in the numerous and sundry media is definitely appreciated; but, real men want real women.
OBTW, nice stems in the Sue Barr kitchen photo.
Still trying to work on what I’m thankful for – been real hard these last six months.
And by the way you should not be disgusted by how your body looks – it looks great.
Thanks. And it’ s never easy but there is always something if you look hard enough.