As summer approaches

       As summer approaches, things begin to come alive again, temperatures rise, and we, as the human race, become keenly aware of our bodies.  It's almost as if one day you wake up and wonder where did this body come from and how did I get so pale?!  You immediately begin regretting all those late night binges with girlfriends in elastic pants and over sized sweat shirts and all those nights of burgers and beers with the guys.  You might even have to go way back to all of Grandma's cookies, pies, and fruit cake from the holidays that decided to stick around a lot longer than they were welcome.
      So what's the best and fastest solution?  Well if you're anything like me it's rushing to the nearest tanning salon for a quick fix spray tan, because tan fat looks better than white fat right?  Or if you're brave you might even search Pinterest for a homemade self tanning concoction that you pray ends well.  Retail stores know exactly how we feel this time of year and decide that they should prey off of our weaknesses and make us buy every new tanning product in their stores.  This never goes well, you end up using your entire paycheck and at best end up looking like some creature that resembles an oompa loompa or a dorito.
      Why then do we repeat this nonsense year after year?  Because most of us want to belong and feel accepted.  We want to be the girl that's turning heads and the guy that all the girls want and swoon over.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to be wanted.  It's healthy and a sign that you are alive and human!  But when we begin to allow society and everyone around us dictate who we should be and what we should look like we begin to lose a part of who we are.  We can push our real selves so far down sometimes that even we forget who we are.  How can our need to be wanted and even accepted be fulfilled when we aren't even being ourselves?!
      So today, rock your pale body and pass out sunglasses to strangers if they need them as you pass by. And if you can let someone see a part of you that you have kept locked up or pushed down for so long, because you are amazing and there is no one else like you out there. Don't waste your uniqueness being like everyone else, be you.

Until next time...