Recently, during one of my trips south of the border, I made an unusual encounter.

I was browsing through the aisles at Walmart when an athletic younger-looking woman walked by me. I was wearing a tight-fitting shorter dress. Not that I need to explain, but it is summer, people! I don’t wear pants, and I don’t like loose clothing. I’m short, and baggie clothes make me look like a parachute, like a blimp, as if I have no shape.

Given the utter look of complete disdain on the woman’s face, I could tell that she would have much preferred I hide my imperfections. She. Looked. Mortified.

This picture shows the dress I was wearing. Sure, I’m not 100 pounds and super fit, but I don’t think it warranted the stare of disgust the woman threw at me. It initially made me feel like crap!  but then, I built up courage and I returned the stare!  She sheepishly put her head down and walked away.

No, my stomach isn’t flat, and yes, you clearly can see rolls. But why should I hide those? They are the living proof that I gave birth to not one, not two, but FIVE wonderful children who are all healthy and bright! I. Made. Life. I earned the right to show off those rolls!

I’m sure it’s not her fault, she probably didn’t even realize she was being shallow. It’s not like we’re exposed to imperfections…

It is sad, honestly, that we live in a world that promotes hiding from the eye what is considered “less than desirable.” We massively market what we think “pretty” is, and anything that doesn’t fit in that tiny narrow box, be it older, darker, shorter, wrinkled, sick, or yes, curvy, is considered “less than”.   Let’s take adults with developmental disabilities, for example. We institutionalize them to better “care” for them, right? Not because it makes us uncomfortable as a society, to cohabit.  Let’s take our elderly, those with dementia. We are now talking about having closed-in villages (insert prison here) for them to be “safe” in, not because it makes US feel better not to have to see old, or sick, or “less than” picture-perfect grandparents! Not because it puts OUR minds at ease not to have to worry…  It takes devotion to care for a sick parent and dementia is no yellow brick road.  So we justify it to ourselves.  They’ll be better off with people who know what to do.

But I digress…

Well, just so you know, I refuse to hide. And I hope you do too. We are all beautiful in our own way, perfect in our imperfections. Let’s embrace these imperfections, let us admire each other’s imperfections, let us shine!

If you don’t like it, you can always look away.

What do you think?  Do you hate seeing curves?  Do you feel they should be hidden?  Comment below.