Recently, while vacationing on the Virginia coast, my family and extended family attended an art show on the BoardWalk. This show featured vendors that extended as far as the eye could see. It was both fascinating and fun. We strolled up several blocks enjoying all the artists and their creations. However, the children in our group, mine included, could not keep their mind from the ocean. It seemed to be calling their name. After some debate, the adults agreed and obliged them and we all ventured towards the water.The kids were ecstatic. They jumped in the crashing waves, as the adults sat on the beach to supervise.

It was then, that we spotted a very large women in her bathing suit in the water. She, in fact, was probably the largest woman, that I have ever seen. One of the ladies that were with us, nudged me and said," how does that happen?" I simply thought---like it does any of us---one pound at a time. The kids too, stopped swimming and noticed this woman.

Everyone had different feelings- shock-disgust-disbelief that a woman of her size would come to the beach...let alone-get into a bathing suit and get into the water.....And honestly, at first, I can say that I too was in shock.....but a smile began to come across my face as I watched this women enjoy the ocean as if she were a child and were experiencing it for the first time. Now as I watched her,I watched with amazement, not for her size, but for her enjoyment. I thought, why can't we all be that way? Why can't we as women, regardless of size, let ourselves succumb to happiness without regard to others perception of us...or worse yet..our own distorted image we have of ourselves. I know women who are size 6,size 10, size 12- who wouldn't dream of getting into a bathing suit on a public beach....because of the way they view themselves.....FAT...the distorted lie that they choose to buy into. Sometimes we become prisoners of our mind-self limitations we impose on ourselves in fear of being judged. Judged by whom?Why should we care? We will be judged by one flaw or another so we may as well go ahead and enjoy our lives.

I learned something that day. I learned something from the large women on the beach.

She was free; not imprisoned by her body or her body image.

I learned that she was beautiful and I wished I could be just like her.