It never ceases to amaze me how as children we see things so differently than we do as adults. Children are brutally honest and as adults we tend to sugar coat things, as we see them, to make our take on a thing more palatable.
My oldest smart, handsome grandson is now 26 years old, but my mind remembers an incident involving he and I when he was just 3. We were watching television and a commercial came on. I cannot even remember what they were advertising, but I do remember that my grandson turned to me and asked me if the lady was fat. I politely turned to him and said, “No, she is just a little ample.” Well, I thought that was the end of it but ohhhhh no! That precious child turned to me and asked, “Grandma, are you ample?” I was befuddled! I had been cornered by a three-year-old! I mean gazing into those innocent big brown eyes captured my heart and I knew that I would have to give him an honest answer. So, I carefully considered my then present state and politely said, “A little bit. Grandma is fluffy"! He giggled and so did I. A moment captured in time. I have often thought about that moment through the years, and it still makes me giggle. It comes in handy when I go into the closet to get rid of everything that no longer fits. It comes in handy when I must set yet another goal of losing 5, or 8 or 10% of my body weight to stay healthy. It comes in handy when I look in the mirror and wonder where those used to be curves went and standing before me is a female version of “Sponge Bob Square Pants”! Some women and men too have a desire to go back to that body that they had when they were younger. News flash! We are all getting older, and some things just must be reckoned with. And so, I stand in front of the mirror and declare, “You are not fat girl. You are just fluffy! You are plump, solid, sizable, generous and thick"!
Today, my grandson welcomes my generous hugs. He knows that there is so much contained in these “fluffy” arms. One moment in time that helped me to maintain a positive self-image by seeing myself through the eyes of a child.