Looking in the mirror,
at myself in the reflection,
And I can’t help but feel
grateful.
My body
has given me
so many gifts,
in just 38 short years.
Movement,
This body has taken
me to mountain tops,
swimming, climbing,
hiking, walking and dancing.
Strength,
These arms have held
and comforted fussy toddlers.
These thick thighs,
and strong muscles,
have stretched,
endured 3 half marathons,
and even developed, delivered,
and nourished babies.
Travel,
This body has allowed me
to move across the globe
with power and grace.
These hands,
have held
tiny fingers and toes,
filled with
wonder and love.
This body,
has grown babies,
it has stretched,
it has provided
So much more than just milk,
to nourish those babies.
This body has given me life.
Resilience,
This body has endured pain,
been hurt,
lost a baby,
grown and healed.
Leaving stretch marks, dimples,
a squishy tummy,
wrinkles, and loose skin.
All of these imprints on my body, tell a story. They show me all the strength and resilience my body has been through, and how grateful I am for this body that I am in. From knee scrapes to the love lines on my stomach and thighs, that grew those miracle babies. Grateful for this body and all that it has done for me.
***This picture was taken just 3 months postpartum, after my third and final pregnancy.
Photo by Allison Miller, @reclamationboudoir
