Beauties

The weirdest comments I get come from some of the most ravishing women I know.

Today, one gorgeous and thin young woman told me that she doesn't own a pair of shorts and that she would never show as much leg as I was (and it really wasn't all that much). She was clearly envying my chutzpah. But heck, I'm in my 40s; I just don't care. Plus, I didn't lack in body confidence even when I was gigantic -- it was because of the easy time I had with birth and breastfeeding, the functionality of my body. I'm going to have even more body confidence now.

Maybe the beauties are the ones who are that much more aware of and focused on appearance because it's their strength. My strength has always been more in my head. Being average looking is probably an advantage psychologically, as I'm therefore less worried about declining appearance. And, with being heavy for years, I had already experienced the feeling of being invisible, the feeling that I suspect older women get as well. That was one thing that I hated about losing weight when it first happened -- not being invisible anymore made me uncomfortable and, indeed, a bit angry. But some of that was discomfort with change. I was used to and generally happy with my invisibility.

I can see the gorgeous being that much more upset when attention to their beauty lessens, as it has to do as they age or when they go through frumpy stages of life with young babies. It's change as well.

Exercise notes: On Tuesday, between my run, playing in the surf and baseball in the evening, I managed to get a bit sore. Today, there's more baseball and I'm also hoping to get a run in at the park.

Paul Points notes: He was listening to my iPod yesterday. Uh oh. I lost points over that. He knows I like music he hates, but he seldom has to confront it in all its testosterone-fueled fury.