Please read this -- it's about priorities.

[kaybee]

I've just returned from the wake of a good friend. She was a wife and the mother of two young children, and we became friends about 15 years ago when we were both unmarried. Like many (most?) women, we spent a lot of time talking and thinking about what was wrong with our bodies, wrong with our weight, how we could not be happy until we lost "x" pounds or were able to fit into "y" that we wore ten years ago. We dieted, we exercised, we weighed ourselves -- mostly in vain. And now she's gone. And you know how much all that fretting about weight and body image mattered in the end? NOT ONE BIT.

I've learned much from her life and death. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I realize now what a waste of time it is to try to be what you aren't. I'm not saying go out and eat a meat lover's pizza and some doritos, I'm saying do the BEST you can for *your* body (vs. an image of the perfect body) and don't waste any time beating yourself up about what you think it should/could be. We women are SO hard on ourselves! Throw away your scale. Make conscious decisions to do the best you can for yourself -- health-wise, relationship-wise, whatever. Feel good and live your life. I'm going to chuck my scale right now and celebrate what I am and what my life is, rather than lamenting what it's not.

Sorry to go on so, but it's just all so upsetting...

[Holly]

Peace be with you, Kaybee.

[goddesslynne]

Kaybee, I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for the beautifully worded reminder, and tribute to your friend.

[Karen]

I'm sorry you lost a dear friend.

[Zoodles]

Well said. We are all human beings with incredible richness and complexity, not just bodies. I'm sorry for your loss, thank you for sharing and reminding us all what's important and what is clearly - not.

[Kirsteen]

Kaybee I am so sorry for your loss. You are so right, something as awful as this really does show us what's imortant and make a lot of our concerns seem trivial and petty. Be kind to yourself and take care. wishing you all the best.

[CaseyD]

What a wonderful tribute to your friend to now choose to live your life focused on what really matters. I'm so sorry for your loss.

[Lynnefair]

Wow. My heart goes out to you and your friend's grieving family. You words ring SO true. Thanks for the reminder. {{{{Hugs}}}}

[golden]

I'm sorry for your loss. Your thoughts resonate with me. My roommate passed away in October, and I think that going through that, especially with how sudden and unexpected his death was, has influenced me to savor life and live more healthfully.