I appreciate this body

I was watching Oprah discuss her weight on a past show. She kept saying how much she appreciated her body. I was shocked. I was looking at her appreciate her body with it's new 40 pounds, thyroid issues, and post menopause like, what the hell? It took me so long to understand, even after she began explaining. I had to sit with her revelation for weeks. Now, I appreciate my body. It has taken such a licking to keep on ticking. I am a struggling smoker. I have given birth. I have punished my body for no reason, with diet, with intercourse, with activity. I have treated this temple like a cardboard box, but everyday it works so hard for me. It goes right when I want and left when I want. It gets me up and down. It guarantees my breath, my heart rate, my blood flow, and everything else without a reminder or coaxing. It makes everything possible for me, and never complains. So as a gift back to this body, I'm gonna try harder to kick smoking, workout harder, eat better, and cloth it in garments appropriate for how I feel about it. Because I appreciate this body.

So, instead of just looking at religion to appreciate my temple, I stepped back to see why. This body is dependable and consistent. It gives me clear signs of problems. It works harder for me than I could ever work for it. I love this body, even with its extra weight and imperfections. I love this body.