Have you accepted yourself?

"Our entire life, with our fine moral code and our precious freedom, consists ultimately in accepting ourselves as we are." ~ Jean Anouilh


As Summer 2009 comes to a close and a new season begins, I am reflecting on all the things I continue to learn. I will be 36 years old in one month. A person learns their whole lifetime, but I can totally pinpoint when I began learning survival skills. Summer 2005 and Summer 2007 were tremendous learning stages in my life ...and the education was all about survival. God gives you what you need, when you need it; not a minute before He deems it necessary. During those summers, I totally doubted my decision making. I felt weak. I KNEW I wasn't weak, but I found it hard to draw strength from anything. I had what I needed, and while I felt as though I was hitting mountain after mountain, I didn't realize it then, but I was climbing those mountains. I was harder on myself than anyone else was. I expected more of myself than was necessary. I thought to cry was to exhibit weakness. I made life harder than it really was. Do you do that? I've found that particular skill (making something difficult) to be my greatest personality trait (laughing to myself)! Since those summers, I've continued to grow as an adult, but also letting go of some of my inhibitions about myself and becoming more accepting of the "not so flat" tummy and my frequently appearing gray hairs, becoming denser and denser with every single day :) !!! I'm finally feeling comfortable in my own skin. I enjoy my life; enjoy my mistakes; enjoy my triumphs. I look in the mirror, after many years, and I feel comfortable in what is Melanie Rowsey Hodges. I'm strong! So what if my tummy isn't Sports Illustrated material. My kids are healthy and happy; I'm healthy and happy & life doesn't get much better than this. I've noticed this summer that with "old age," I'm gaining a self-confidence that I'v never felt before, especially with my control over my own life ...... or rather, letting some of my control factors go and learning to love this life. Peace. I've blogged about it before. Not only have I accepted where I am in life, I've accepted who I am in life. And, let me tell you, friend ....IT FEELS FABULOUS!!!!! I continue to seek acceptance of myself and the ability to laugh at myself ...and I wish the same for you.

**I have a ton of pictures to upload from our summer adventures and activities, from May to July. Bear with me, during the next couple of weeks, as I'm going to try and make a collage of all of these events.

Here's hoping your August is filled with the full schedule that "back to school" brings, as well as the excitement :) !!!!

Fall is coming!

Much love,
Melanie and Her Cutie Patooties