“I’ve got a life and it’s beautiful,” writes author and teacher Fiza Pathan.
Beyond our conditioned response to what we are taught to see as beautiful is Beauty.
Not just size, or colour, shape or disabilty… behind every face is a unique mind and heart.
I was not always a plus size woman. I used to be just around 45 kgs with a waist line that always measured 24”. However, due to health issues which were far beyond my control, I started gaining tremendous amount of weight by the time I was 20 years old. By the time I passed out of Degree College at the age of 21, I weighed 78 kgs with a hell of a lot of water retention due to severe hormonal imbalance. I tried everything I could to reduce: yoga, aerobics, gyming, walking, jogging, a strict diet you name it…but nothing helped reduce my weight as my health issues worsened.
Today, I weigh 106 kgs and have a waist line measuring 50”.
But am I saddened or troubled by that fact?
Do I always think about how I can reduce?
Do I kill myself with a strict diet?
No, I…
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Sue Vincent's Daily Echo 
Thanks for sharing! Read full post and enjoyed so much! Funny, first think I saw in the pic was warm eyes and beautiful smile – 🙂
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I agree, she has the loveliest smile… but this lady is a woman with a passion and the drive to make things happen 🙂
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Yup – funny how, as a species, we ‘talk about/fight against’ various ‘symptoms’ of “judging a book by it’s cover” – instead of just adopting a root perspective, “We choose to discern our preferences and choose those we support, via content”… 🙂
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It really shouldn’t even occur to us to differentiate between people based on anything other than who they actually are.
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It shouldn’t, but I observe so many daily instances where we do – me, others – etc.! I guess, I’ve come to believe that we are still trying to walk the line between holding the best vision of another in our brain, to encourage, support, etc – protect our own selves, in face of ego – and, still need great community to point us out to our blind spots of self – 🙂 Work in progress – as I always am! and subject to update/revision as I learn/grow more! 🙂
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We do and to a certain extent it is a pre-programmed reaction… a leftover defense mechanism, I suppose that perhaps we once needed, more than today, to identify life-threatening danger. We have grown..a bit… though, and no longer need to react with flight or fight, yet the reaction is still part of us and we have to learn to bring informed choice to our reactions. None of us are ‘there’ yet… but we can try. 🙂
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I found 10 minute run-down of how our empathy/understanding takes a leap every time we expand our horizons extremely helpful information to log in my noggin, for future quick ‘rememberance’ of lessons learned – sharing with you – 🙂 Pretty sure I have share before – on my blog, in your comments, but very powerful, to my mind, 10 minutes – 🙂 https://www.thersa.org/discover/videos/rsa-animate/2010/05/rsa-animate—the-empathic-civilisation/
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Yes, I’ve seen it before…and just watched it again. It is so obvious, isn’t it… and when you see it graphically you just have to wonder what we are still playing at with our prejudices.
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I’m prejudiced – found that out over 15 years ago – and haven’t conquered it yet – I’m Prejudiced against Ignorant/Oblivious/Luv the Good Ole’ Days folks who think it their job to tell me how bad I am, while blaming me for their failings as an individual in response to my ignorant actions – sigh – my ego still struggles SOOOOO Very much with letting THAT one go! LOL But, as mea culpa disclaimer – “I will work at getting better at letting this go – – If it’s really bad, and I just can’t, know I’ll restrict interactions with you as much as I can, until I can show up and be kind about it all – but you barge into my house/face? Pony up for a ride – cuz, after all – I did give you forewarning about it….. 🙂
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LOL… I’m staying quiet on that one 🙂 Let’s just say that when asked how I was getting on with the hire car, I answered that it kept telling me what to do… “Oh dear,” said my friend…”not advisable!” 🙂
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have serious ‘ketsup’ (better known as Catch-Up” activities to do – 🙂 But hugs to you, as always – appreciation for you allowing me to be myself in ‘your space’ – even in imperfect version, and always, always, can’t wait for the day I manage to show up in your neck of the woods and say, “what do you want to show me today?” 🙂 You are such a gem, and can’t wait to say so in person! 🙂
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P.S. Totally all wrapped around apologizing/supporting, and forgot to ask – hire car? injury? own auto in shop? If you blogged about it, no worries – I’ll get caught up – IF not – HUGS for whatever LIfe has handed to ya that resulted in ‘hire car’ – 🙂 (See?!? Work in progress! Swing from one end of the perspective pendulum to another instead of seeing the “Just Right” middle, every, single, time – 🙂 I confess my sins (skewed perspectives) publicly, just so other sinners know they aren’t alone in the battle – LOL
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Truck squashed my car.. I’m fine though, wasn’t in it. Blogged… and waiting for news of my baby 😦 x
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🙂 thanks for the recap in face of my juggling/failing to keep up with my ‘community’ ! Much appreciated – Glad you are OK – sorry your Baby in Shop – [[big hugs sent from across the pond! ]] 🙂
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Hugs back 🙂 Keep your fingers crossed for her!
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Tell it Fiza! Thanks for sharing Sue. So many times I feel like jumping up and shouting “So what if I’m fat! I don’t need other words for it; they don’t make me slimmer. It doesn’t make me stupid. It doesn’t make me older than I am. It doesn’t make me inferior to the person next to me. It doesn’t make me a less valuable employee. It doesn’t make me a poor leader. But I have a lot of thoughts about the people who think it does make me any of those things.
Oops… I was on my Julia Sugarbaker soapbox again. Sorry Sue… Mega hugs. 🙂
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You can get right back up on that soapbox for me, Teagan 🙂 No-one should be judged on appearance alone!
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Fiza is an extremely talented lady. I love her write-ups…thanks for sharing this, Sue… 🙂
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She’s absolutely lovely and an inspiring young woman.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this read. Very honest and inspiring. Thanks Sue.
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Fiza is always worth reading.
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Thanks for the introduction.
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🙂
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Here is a woman who is comfortable with herself. Bravo!
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🙂
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