Sunday, May 17, 2015

I Can Take a Compliment

A woman gave me a compliment today.  What I can tell you about this woman is that she is striking, tall, carries herself with intelligence and seems to take herself seriously.  We've spoken once or twice before and both times I felt compelled to keep it calm and sound thoughtful.  I don't know her name but she is that kind of a woman.

The compliment was given after a particularly good yoga class.  Hot yoga.  Bikram yoga.  She told me this was the second day in a row that she practiced behind me and she thought my practice was really beautiful and graceful.  She emphasized that she thought all my poses were consistently solid and again, beautiful.  I know that she knows yoga well enough to give the compliment and also knows that my practice is not perfect.  She knows that is not the point.  So do I.

I responded with a "Thank You".  Several of them.  I made no self-deprecating jokes whatsoever and allowed only one quip about making sure to practice in front of her always.  Just the day before, in the first class this woman was behind me, our teacher had told an anecdote about a famous female comedian making the point that as soon as women start to do well at something they tend to self-deprecate.  Good point.

I am not a person who has ever been comfortable with my physical presence and since I was about 13 it was clear to me that I missed out on true happiness because my hair is too thin, my thighs too fat, I can only be less than a size 12 when I practice anorexia, and I have a weak chin.   I squirm when being checked out by men or women, my husband even,  and I absolutely did not enjoy look at myself.  Not in photos.  Not in mirrors and definitely not in big giant, wall sized mirrors while standing next to people in tiny clothing that often covers even tinier bendy butts.  Or so you would think.

I started practicing Bikram yoga about three years ago after being inspired by my husband to give it a try.  From the very first class - in my awful aqua colored tankini top and getting dizzy and nauseous through every standing pose - I was transfixed by myself in the mirror.   I was shaky, uncoordinated, and out of shape.  But in that mirror, I was goddamn BEYONCE wearing that awful aqua colored tankini top.

Over time I have built up my strength, flexibility and skill through yoga.  I think I can hold my own.  One thing I have never had to do, though, is improve upon liking what I see in the big mirror.  That started on the very first day.   I have no idea if the striking, intelligent woman was being genuine or she just might be the "pay it forward" type making a point to compliment someone every day.  What I took away from that interaction with this woman is that I have been keeping a secret for quite a while.  My secret is that I am beautiful - and I believe her.


3 comments:

  1. This is beautiful and moving. I'm weeping. Please write more.

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  2. I have goosebumps, Helen! You are beautiful, intelligent, hysterically funny and REAL -- how lucky are we to call you our friend?

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