04/21/2026
Reposted
Today I heard someone say, “This is how you get your body back after birth.” I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
Can we just stop with this harmful narrative about birthing bodies and bodies that menstruate?!? That some other version of this body is better or more worthy of love and care?!?! This body - THIS BODY HERE AND NOW - is beautiful, is worthy, is enough.
Let go of the past: There is no going back to my previous body.
Embrace the now: This is the body I have.
Hope for the future: Care for this body so it will serve my daily movements as long as possible.
I’m actively doing this work for myself so that my children might have a chance to opt out this stupid cycle of self-hatred and not-enoughness. Don’t talk about dieting in front of my kids. Don’t talk negatively about your body in front of my kids. I’m working so hard to give them a foundation of love and appreciation for their bodies. Every night I sing, “You are so big, so strong and so mighty! There’s nothing that you cannot do!” I better live like this is the truth for me too.
“Love your hands! Love them. Raise them up and kiss them. Touch others with them, pat them together, stroke them on your face… Love your mouth… This is flesh… Flesh that needs to be loved. Feet that need to rest and to dance; backs that need support; shoulders that need arms, strong arms… Love your neck; put a hand on it, grace it, stroke it and hold it up. And all your inside parts that they’d just as soon slop for hogs, you got to love them. The dark, dark liver — love it, love it, and the beat and beating heart, love that too. More than eyes or feet. More than lungs that have yet to draw free air. More than your life-holding womb and your life-giving private parts… love your heart. For this is the prize.” Toni Morrison, Beloved