Yes, my thighs touch.

It's been so long since I've worn shorts in public, that I literally can't even remember the last time it happened. Even in 90 and 100 degree weather, I'd be wearing pants of some sort. Okay, leggings, I'd be wearing leggings. But still, never shorts, no matter what. I have cellulite, stretch marks, and my thighs touch. I didn't even want to look at myself, so I did the world a favor and spared them the agony by covering up. Sure, I'd be drenched in sweat and miserable, but no one was going blind by looking at my exposed legs. The way I saw it, people should have been thanking me.

Fast forward to now... I'm 5'9", and about 200 pounds. I still have cellulite, stretch marks, and yes my thighs still touch. But today, I wore shorts out in public. Not only did I leave my house, I went to an amusement park, where there was hundreds of people. Ready for the icing on the cake? I also walked around in my bathing suit. *gasp* I realized recently that I was covering myself up for all the wrong reasons. It wasn't because that's truly what made me happy, it was because I didn't want anyone judging me. I was so worried about what everyone else thought, that I never asked myself what I thought. Yeah, sure, sometimes I look in the mirror and hate what I see. But when I dig deeper, I really do love myself. Why should I have to cover up just because I don't look like a model? There's nothing wrong with me. I am unique and beautiful, just like everyone else. And when I leave my house, I'm not leaving my house to get noticed. I don't wake up, get dressed and say "what would the people in my hometown like me to wear?" No, I get up, find something clean (usually), get dressed, and then go about my day.

What makes my train of thought so different now versus a few years ago is my daughter. When she looks at me, all she sees is mommy. She doesn't see that my roots are grown in, I'm not wearing makeup, or that my thighs touch. She doesn't care what my clothes look like, or if I'm even matching that day. All she knows is that mommy gets dressed and takes her to the playground, or the store. When she looks at me, she knows I don't say no to a quick swim, or a walk around the block, or a ride down the slide. When she looks at me she knows that no matter what, I'll be involved for however long she wants me to be. And someday, she'll have hundreds of pictures to look back on, and I'll be in most of them. And hopefully when she's older, and struggling with her own self image, she'll remember that mommy embraced herself, and lived her life without worrying about the judgement of others.

When did it become acceptable to allow people to dictate to us how we should look? No person is the same, which means no body type is the same. You are the first and last version of yourself. Never again will there ever be anyone else like you. You were made to be a masterpiece, a first edition. You are perfectly imperfect. You are flawed, and beautiful. You have a thigh gap, or you don't. You have abs, or you don't. It doesn't matter, because you are YOU, and you is wonderful.

Every person should embrace their body, their personality, their life. You should never be afraid to wear the clothes you like. You should always do the things that make you happy, say the things that make you happy, and wear the things that make you happy. You only get one life, you need to live it. Don't hide behind fear because you read somewhere that how you look is "ugly". You're not ugly, you're you. 

Yes, my thighs touch, and yes, I'm happy.