Another tourist in Iceland took this picture of us while we were hiking up to Reykjadalur to see the thermal streams. I’ll be frank and admit that I think I look terrible in this photo. My face is bright red,the weight I’ve put on over the last few years is super apparent, my hiking outfit is functional but unflattering, I had no control over the framing of the picture. And etc and etc and etc. I look at this picture and I fall down the hole of everything that I don’t like about myself.
So I have to grab a handhold and climb the fuck out of that stupid hole because there are so many reasons to love this picture.
Let’s list those mothercluckers.
- This picture was taken in Iceland, and fyi, Iceland is amazing.
- My body was allowing me to climb up a bunch of steep paths through beautiful scenery to an amazing endpoint.
- I hiked those paths with my family.
- I showed my kid that I can do things. I can do things that are difficult even if my cheeks turn red and breath gets a little lost. I can do it.
- In that exact moment I was so happy and proud of myself.
- This picture proves that sometimes I get to beat my condition. Or at least control it.
- It was such a good, joyful, fun day and I have a million other pictures from it but I’m glad to have this one non selfie of all three of us on the side of mountain having an actual adventure.
So I guess I don’t hate that picture. And that means I can’t hate myself in that picture,or the body I inhabit in it.
It can be hard to remember sometimes that I’m so much more than what I look like but it’s worth it to remind myself that I am. I just need to do it more often.
This picture i love without reservation. Just wanted to show that those exist too