I strive to be positive about the ways my body is different from others because that’s the beauty of all of us: we’re individuals. But it’s not always an easy thing to do. For National Curves Day on October 14, I decided to do some thinking on the subject in the best way I know how: poetry.
Curb Appeal
“Life does nothing if provide us with the means to an end;
We spend our whole lives, mapping how to get from Point A to Point B
And reminding one another that it’s in the journey, not the destination.
At that rate, we’re destined to seek out the ways to move:
The pedal-to-the-metal straightaways that leave your heart in your throat… ramming speed,
The humble back roads of small town living, taking each day with the sun’s rise and set,
The residential side streets that help us idle past long-time friends and family,
But nothing gets the blood pumping quite like careening along a curving path.
In many ways, I think people are like the paths they use to move.
There are those who are lithe, nimble and meant to soar.
Others enjoy the slower-paced travels.
Friendly faces meet us around every intersection of normal town’s streets.
But curvy bodies…
It still feels like we’re brought to a screeching halt.
They’re the human embodiment of ‘Dead End,’
“Don’t even bother; there’s nothing for you”
Potholes in the streets, seen as nothing but a cosmetic problem.
Sure, they’re annoying.
But as asphalt patches up their problem,
Cellulite and skin dimpling leaves us susceptible to torn-apart confidence.
Wide stretches of land cannot compete with the avoidance of stretch marks
From life’s normal wear and tear.
A troublesome speed bump in street construction
Demarked with a bright orange sign;
For us, a sign to steer clear of unshapely figures—
Go figure.
Not everyone feels this way either.
There are some who appreciate the journey in all forms.
But if all roads lead to home,
If we’re all in the car race to the finish line,
Why can’t curvy bodies get more curb appeal?”
I know this poem seemed to be a bit doom and gloom, but I find the analogy to be helpful to those of us—in this case, all of us—who are on a journey… because that’s exactly how I see body positivity. It’s full of emotional roadblocks and detours damaging to self-esteem, but I know reaching a stretch of days full of self-love is worth all the travel troubles. So this National Curves Day, embrace the ride!