In digging through the old boxes, I've come across a lot of older stuff that I haven't seen in a while. For instance, about 14 years ago, I visited Seneca Rocks in the Monongahela National Forest (West Virginia). I found a picture of me, taken atop the rocks. You have to remember, this was the early 90's. Big 80's hair was just starting to make its exit. 
So what do you think? I think it's funny but I look at it from a much more philosophical stance than I would have before. In my early 20's, it was the time to wear hiking boots and cut-off shorts but makeup and hair mousse at the same time. Hiking the 1.3-mile trail (on a very steep incline) not only meant that my physical fitness was really good, but that I didn't yet have three small children who would make it about half way before they (understandably) gave out. Climbing over the safety barrier and joining the mountain climbers (and other outlaws) on the very top of the mountain was more of the thing to do.
I just noticed something else...I still had the braces on my teeth then!! Braces were something I had never had when I was younger, but paid for myself when I was about 19. (As an aside, I feel like braces are the best thing I've ever bought. It made a huge difference in my life to be able to smile without being self-conscious. Now I smile every chance I get.) It's also interesting that my arms are so much bigger now but my big ol' knees have always been...well...big ol' knees.
And the view from the top of the mountain? It may be harder to appreciate without the view from the bottom:
If I remember correctly, when the picture of me was taken, I would have been standing right about where the first dip in the top part of the mountain is (on the left side). And you know, I think I could still make the climb up Seneca's steep path because, although I'm pretty out-of-shape, I'm stubborn and have a lot of endurance. Without the big hair, there'd probably be a lot less wind resistance, too. And, yeah, it wouldn't be worth it if I didn't climb over the barrier.
2 years ago
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5 comments:
(last comment deleted because of a typo...let's try again, shall we?)
You're gorgeous!
But I had to laugh about your knee comment: How crazy self-critical are we when no matter how good we look, we can still find flaws? And seriously, our KNEES???
But, all enlightened feminist ramblings aside, I hate my knees. Always have.
Thanks, Melissa!
What do you think it us about us women and our knees?? Do you think it's because we could never wear knee socks or leg warmers when they were fashionable?
Oh, I still wore leg warmers, but it was usually with parachute pants that balloned over my fat knees! ;)
I have no idea where the fixation came from. I remember standing in front of the mirror when I was about 10 or 11 complaining to my mom about my knees. She apologized and told me I inherited hers (she also has always hated her knees)! And now that I think about it, do you remember hearing that models' legs should only touch at the upper thighs, knees and ankles? I was very concerned at a young age that my legs did not touch at only the right places.
Okay, I think I may have just crossed the TMI line. That's enough delving into my 11 year old psyche for one day!
Yeah, my legs have pretty much touched all over! I saw a picture of myself in the 9th (I think) grade not long ago. I was healthy. Not thin, not fat, but healthy. I wish I hadn't hated myself so much. My grandmother was critical of my mother; my dad remembers shopping in the husky section of a local, now defunct, department store. They passed their issues with weight (and in my case my dad's side of the family's apple shape) on to my sister and me; I hope it ends there.
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