Friends, it's practically summer. Temperatures are rising, shorts are coming out of storage boxes, and the sun is shining more often than not. It also means it's time to get your swimsuits out. That sentence either evokes great excitement or great fear, and it's a combination of both for me.
I think most everyone has insecurities about their bodies. It's perfectly normal and okay, and you are certainly not alone. Don't forget that you are all amazing, beautiful, precious image-bearers loved by God!
A couple pieces of fabric shouldn't be given the power to ruin your summer activities.
I've struggled with wearing swimsuits for a while and probably always will.
Beyond blinding people with my whiteness, I also have zero muscle and and some pudge around the waist. I have a surgical scar that goes down the entire length of my spine, and I've given up on trying to find suits that cover my whole back.
Sometimes I feel like people are staring at me. I often feel like a freak of nature when I wear a swimsuit in public, despite being among other bathing-suit-clad people.
The truth, though, is that they really aren't staring at me. They're too busy hanging out or splashing around in the pool, just like I am.
But instead of focusing on the things I hate about my body, I've started looking at the things I do like about it.
I like my hair, and my eyes and my legs. In addition, I'm glad I can run, jump and breathe well—several things that I couldn't really do before I had back surgery—and I have loved being able to rediscover those things over the past couple of years.
Our bodies are amazing adapters and healers.
Beyond learning to love my body, I've also started looking at things I like to do in the summer and focus on the fun of that instead of on my insecurities. I'm not going to let cellulite or a large scar get in the way of enjoying the lake at camp, at a pool party, or at a slip-n-slide.
You don't need to have a perfect bikini body to enjoy summer.
To be honest, the bikini body is a complete myth anyway. What we see in magazines is a combination of working out and Photoshop. It's impossible to aspire to having something that's not real in the first place.
What really matters is that you're healthy, wearing sunscreen, and able to spend time with your friends and family this summer.
Cherish the time spent on the beach, in boats on the lake, and during nights under starry skies. Build up those memories that you can look back on in a couple of decades and smile.
