Bodies are so fucking weird. You know (click here →) the Barbapapas? Human bodies ARE the Barbapapas. If you have parents, look at them. That’s basically you if you live like your parents. Maybe you take after an Aunt or Uncle? I don’t know. (But I do know that people who take after their Grandparents are generally hot. It’s a recessive hot-gene thing. That’s science.)
I was very concerned with my appearance and looking "healthy" most of my adult life. And then I hit menopause and now I would just like to stay alive a reasonable amount of time. Estrogen is an amazing, magical, fountain of youth and when it's gone, the body falls apart. I'm not even kidding. Ok, not into literal pieces, but it might as well. I know I'm always bringing the party down because I am THAT person, but on the bright-ish side, I've never felt more at ease with my appearance. Happy Birthday, Kelly! You are beautiful in every way and you deserve the best year yet! And you look fabulous for any age.
If you haven’t already heard of him, check out Dr Gabor Mate. He’s an expert on the physical and emotional effects of childhood and other traumas. He’s kind and compassionate, but is very clear about how the body remembers.
Oh, how I needed to read this. Our relationships with our bodies are so complex. I’ve been living with chronic pain for close to a decade now and there are so many days when I say, “I just want out of this body; I feel trapped.” I turned forty this year and many days feel like I’m 80. Yesterday, was my mother’s 70th birthday, and one of the first things she said after our lunch was “Ugh, I need to go to the fat farm.” It’s the refrain I’ve heard my whole life: her needing (wanting) to lose weight. She looks amazing btw. I on the other hand, I constantly get comments about my thinness. I’ve lost about 10 lbs over the past month because I’ve only been able to eat a few foods after an autoimmune flare. People say they wish they had my body or ask what my “secret” is. I want to say: If you only knew the cost. And then there is my family member recently diagnosed with ALS. Already she is losing her ability to swallow and speak. She might live another two years. Such a cruel disease. However, it reminds me that even on my hardest days I can still hug my kids, hear about their days and speak clearly when they need advice or encouragement. My body is not my enemy- I need to keep reminding myself of that. Your words certainly helped.
Ahhh! I love the Barbapapas and as a kid I only ever wanted a house like in Barbapapas New House, where each person had a room that was exactly them. I have that, sort of, with my kids and my house and I have a Barbapapa body for sure, and I just wanna make a Barbapapa community where we all build our homes and environment around our smushy bodies instead of having to build our bodies for the world we live in.
When i left my ex and moved away i gained 15 pounds almost immediately, and now I cant lose it! Yet i look and feel healthy as ever. Bodies and our views of bodies are ever evolving, just gotta buy bigger pants now.
A resounding yes to your “humans are barbapapas” thesis, known in certain quarters as the “gloop and gleep manifesto.”
I wholeheartedly salute your scientific analysis. Love and acceptance present as beauty within our bodies whereas anger and trauma reveal themselves in mostly unpleasant shapes. Lastly, happy belated birthday from a fellow Sagittarius homie! Another lap around the sun for a most excellent barbapapa!
On this, the day i scheduled a cryo facial so that i too can possibly defy the aging process as well as you have, im grateful to also recieve this message from you 💗
I'm also well aware this piece is superficially about health...
I'd talk about the ramifications of genetics/trauma and disease or illness but unfortunately I was lying when I said I was a scientist.
I was very concerned with my appearance and looking "healthy" most of my adult life. And then I hit menopause and now I would just like to stay alive a reasonable amount of time. Estrogen is an amazing, magical, fountain of youth and when it's gone, the body falls apart. I'm not even kidding. Ok, not into literal pieces, but it might as well. I know I'm always bringing the party down because I am THAT person, but on the bright-ish side, I've never felt more at ease with my appearance. Happy Birthday, Kelly! You are beautiful in every way and you deserve the best year yet! And you look fabulous for any age.
If you haven’t already heard of him, check out Dr Gabor Mate. He’s an expert on the physical and emotional effects of childhood and other traumas. He’s kind and compassionate, but is very clear about how the body remembers.
Oh, how I needed to read this. Our relationships with our bodies are so complex. I’ve been living with chronic pain for close to a decade now and there are so many days when I say, “I just want out of this body; I feel trapped.” I turned forty this year and many days feel like I’m 80. Yesterday, was my mother’s 70th birthday, and one of the first things she said after our lunch was “Ugh, I need to go to the fat farm.” It’s the refrain I’ve heard my whole life: her needing (wanting) to lose weight. She looks amazing btw. I on the other hand, I constantly get comments about my thinness. I’ve lost about 10 lbs over the past month because I’ve only been able to eat a few foods after an autoimmune flare. People say they wish they had my body or ask what my “secret” is. I want to say: If you only knew the cost. And then there is my family member recently diagnosed with ALS. Already she is losing her ability to swallow and speak. She might live another two years. Such a cruel disease. However, it reminds me that even on my hardest days I can still hug my kids, hear about their days and speak clearly when they need advice or encouragement. My body is not my enemy- I need to keep reminding myself of that. Your words certainly helped.
Ahhh! I love the Barbapapas and as a kid I only ever wanted a house like in Barbapapas New House, where each person had a room that was exactly them. I have that, sort of, with my kids and my house and I have a Barbapapa body for sure, and I just wanna make a Barbapapa community where we all build our homes and environment around our smushy bodies instead of having to build our bodies for the world we live in.
had to google Barbapapa and was NOT disappointed
you might certainly appreciate this piece by neimy kanani 🕯🎂👼🏼 ♡♡♡
https://www.instagram.com/p/CUNbbuFtigK
😸
When i left my ex and moved away i gained 15 pounds almost immediately, and now I cant lose it! Yet i look and feel healthy as ever. Bodies and our views of bodies are ever evolving, just gotta buy bigger pants now.
A resounding yes to your “humans are barbapapas” thesis, known in certain quarters as the “gloop and gleep manifesto.”
I wholeheartedly salute your scientific analysis. Love and acceptance present as beauty within our bodies whereas anger and trauma reveal themselves in mostly unpleasant shapes. Lastly, happy belated birthday from a fellow Sagittarius homie! Another lap around the sun for a most excellent barbapapa!
Thank God(s) for you 💘
On this, the day i scheduled a cryo facial so that i too can possibly defy the aging process as well as you have, im grateful to also recieve this message from you 💗