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[size:11pt][font:Book Antiqua]My newest article is up on Marriage.

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Well, I have never been married, and never will be. But I would change nothing.
besides, my body is changing itself every day! I think even if women have changes made, this needs upkeep and maintenance. they are never satisfied!
Can you imagine? A beautiful young woman has bust implants and tummy tuck. Then at 80, what does her bust and waistline look like?!?
eat sensibly, exercise well.
This is enough, I think.
or should be!

Pretty much in agreement here, Metta. My step-mother is in her sixties and looks great. She has always played tennis and swims regularly. And before healthy eating was in vogue, she was very into veggies and fruits. Another good thing too, she never, ever smoked!

I don't have any curves to be proud of, but I'm proud of my angles! LOL

I'm happy with my body, and grateful for my health and vitality. I know I'm lucky to have this body shape and metabolism, so I treat it with respect and appreciation.

I'm making progress on losing the "chub" I gained from a serious knee injury a few years ago. But I'm careful to maintain the upper body muscle I gained for the same reason (couldn't rely on my legs to do the lifting anymore). I'll never have the same figure I had back in the 2 whole knee caps days, but the one I'm working on honing now is even better. Not as close to perfect or perfectly functional, but still better.

This version of my body has been ruined for life in one respect, but has grown stronger in others to compensate. I had to earn the figure I have now. I'll always have a slight limp (though I've gotten good at hiding it except when I'm really tired and/or sore), but I'm proud of my walk. It's something I had to earn. The figure and walk I had before took virtually no effort to get and maintain. I had to work for what I have now. I appreciate it more.

Sure, I still have some fat to lose, but not a lot. And every pound gone is another pound my arthritic partial knee cap doesn't have to carry. And every bit of muscle, though I consider myself a little too muscular in places, is more muscle to help keep me mobile and living (mostly) like I did before my injury.

In short, it's all about perspective and appreciation, and about yourself, not the starving girls on TV. They didn't practically relearn how to walk at age 21, take the most physically challenging job they could handle to rebuild muscle, and don't face every weather forecast wondering how well they'll be able to walk if it rains on Tuesday. I did and do all of that. Also, I have a man who was with me in my struggle and appreciates my work and my body, too. Who cares about the girls who have never lived in my body or my life and don't know what good pizza tastes like?

Myrabeth you are a real woman! You have every right to be proud of you and to celebrate life!

We live in a world where twenty is old and where starvation is "normal." How helathy is that?!

When I had scar revision on my nose after having skin cancer, I asked about a "freshening up" possibly many years down the road. The plastic surgeon asked who I wanted to look like. I told him I wanted to still look like me! He smiled and said that was best because when patients tell him they want to look like a certain model, actor, or celebrity, he sends them for counseling. He was a good, ethical man.

Myrabeth, you have a great perspective on your injury and on life. So many others would've allowed such a set back to dictate what they could or couldn't do and give in to the restrictions, rather than learning to compensate. I'm glad you're proud of the body you've earned.

Kristen - thank you - you're beautiful too.