Take off your clothes.
Stand in front of the mirror.
What do you see?
Do you see an object to be gawked at, judged and ridiculed? Do you see a piece of meat that is subject to whatever the other would like to do with it: marinade, tenderize, cut up, etc.? Or do you see something beautiful: something worth more than anybody can ever imagine? Do you see something that is perfect just the way it is? Do you? Do you see it? Do you see self-worth, value and esteem?
I don't.
When I look in the mirror, I see a reminder of all the poor choices I have made in my life. My eyes meet their reflection in the mirror and begin showing pictures of what life once was; what they have seen; what they should have seen; what they wanted to see. They transmit all of these images into my brain in the matter of seconds. Constant reminders that my body is not a wonderland.
I have scars on my hands, on my face, and on my legs. Constant reminders of events in my past that happened and took a part of me. They ripped a piece out of me so that they could hold on to me forever…
I have tattoos on my arms and legs. Adornments for my temple—if you have to live in one, might as well make it as beautiful as possible. However what you don't see are the scars since faded. The torment that my flesh went through in an attempt to protect my soul from being ripped out. Life ripped more of me out, but I still had my soul. My temple walls held and the enemy was averted, but they left with a forever reminder of me. A piece of my body.
My body, is no wonderland.
As I stand in front of the mirror, I can't help but wonder, "Where did I go wrong?"
I never got tall, I got wide. I go to bed every night, but still I carry the worries of the previous day on my face. I'm tired. There are moments when my body is saying, "No more. We can't do it today." But I have to. I have to keep on, otherwise I will fall out and be lost forever. I sacrifice my body for the good of the world, and it hates me for it. I participate in the daily grind. I walk around all day. I sit, stand, squat, bend, and rotate for the other.
My body, is no wonderland.
I have never been objectified as a piece of ass, because I'm a man. I am the one who objectifies others as such. Nobody looks at me and wonders what kind of lay I am. Nobody is checking out my ass as I walk by wondering how much I put out. Nobody is looking at my chest and thinking about shoving their face in it and making baby noises. I don't have to put up with this, and neither should you.
What do you see when you look in the mirror?
I want to see the real me. I want to see the me that other people experience when they greet me on the street. I want to see what you see in me.
If only you could see what I see you in.
You are more than an ass and tits. You are more than long legs in tight shorts. You are more than that, and you need to know that.
My body may not be a wonderland, but yours isn't either.
Your body is not a place of magical experiences. It is your temple, it is your soul-home, and it is yours to be proud of.
My body is no wonderland, but it's mine. I was provided with this vessel and I'm going to make the best of it.
I will continue to wear and cover my scars. I will continue to look in the mirror and be reminded of my bad choices. I will continue wondering what other people see in me. I will continue to fight for you to do the same.
My body may not be a wonderland, but it's all I got.
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