So go the lyrics of a popular song.

A friend recently sent me a moving piece about body image (that is fittingly captured in the lyrics, by the way.)

A flyer posted outside a gym asked, “Would you rather be a mermaid or a whale?”

A real woman responded by commenting on how whales are surrounded by family and friends, they are tender with children, travel far, sing beautifully, and are loved by many.

A mermaid  on the other hand, does not exist but if it did it would be sad and lonely and probably need therapy to resolve its split personality issues. (“Woman or fish?”)  

After concluding that she would rather be a whale, the writer ended by saying:

“We women gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn’t enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies. We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated. Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: “How amazing am I ?!”

This piece and the accompanying photo of a beautiful, voluptuous woman, got me thinking about how warped the American idea of beauty is.

In Mexico, I feel so much more beautiful. Perhaps, because of all the walking I do to get from here to there every day, I am a few pounds lighter, or at least trimmer, my skin definitely glows, and since the food is fresh, there are fewer additives and preservatives to cause me to bloat; but it is more than physical.

Those few pounds really do not make the difference in how I feel. It is the attitude of everyone around me — whatever size or shape you are, however old or young, you are you and you are fine (wonderful, beautiful, marvelous, fantastic, amazing…) just the way you are. There is no better or more beautiful way to live.

It may not be easy being blue, but I am happy just the way I am.

So, cultivate being the amazing and beautiful person that you are, inside and out.