Not Brave, Just Normal

Earlier this week the photo prompt for the Fat Mum Slim photoaday was "My Name is..." and I shared this photograph and message.



Why?

Well, because that picture is of me. It and the words below it (My #name is Pippa Dawn, I go by PippaD. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister, an aunt, a cousin, a friend and hopefully an inspiration. #FMSPhotoaday) sums me up. I'm all bingo wings and large thighs and a huge belly, because yes that is what I see when I look at that photo.

HOWEVER. You know what? That's fine with me. I mean obviously I wish I didn't have bingo wings, large thighs or a huge belly but look at the important part of that picture. Look at me smile. Look at me throw my arms in the air with what looks like carefree abandonment.

When this photo was taken I was with my family, at a place I love. I think you can see that in the photograph in my stance and smile. When this picture was taken I wasn't thinking, "That'll be a great photo to share with the world" (seriously, I'm in my swimming costume do you think I'd normally share a photo of me in my swimming costume?!), I was most likely thinking "Hey Husband look at me, I'm going for a swim in the sea!".

The thing that has got me though, is in the last week I've had DM's, PM's, emails and text messages from friends, families and people who read this blog telling me how brave I am to put this photo up. I'm not brave. It's a picture of me. Yes, I'm overweight, but if I waited until I was skinny or met the standards of beauty that society seem to set these days then there would never be a photograph of me taken.

And enough is enough.

I am me. I am overweight. I am funny. I am loved. I am Pippa.