I’m going to make a departure from autumn musings to discuss something near and dear to my heart: How we see ourselves. This came about through a rant and a blog. The blog is from a friend I haven’t met personally though we are one (or two or three?) degrees of separation since she is a friend of the owner of one of my Dragons and Queens litter.
It’s Different for Girls…Body Image and Riding..
Anna was inspired by a rant that had me reaching for my keyboard…she just got there first. The rant: For all women brought chills to my skin and a Gibbs slap to the back of my skull. How long will we let that outer critic tear down our self esteem? I spent far too much of my life not being good enough or pretty enough in my OWN eyes. Whatever caused that is past and immaterial now.
How ironic one of the passions in my life is breeding and showing dogs. If ever there was a trivial pursuit, dog showing would be in
With Bouddicca 2013 by Kathy Jones
With Black Adder in 2010
the forefront. If I took it too seriously I’d no doubt be screaming into the storm. Except after decades there is more to showing than just presenting my ‘lukis for the opinion of others. For me it’s a social gathering. All of us dedicated to these silly sly creatures getting together to meet, greet, compete and cheer each other on. Winning is great, losing not so much but at the end of the day we all go home with the hounds we love. If we’re lucky our friends take pictures of our dogs, sometimes with us. Fortunately we can edit ourselves out of the pictures. I’m going to be brave, and NOT edit. Not only because (ahem) I’m kinda proud of managing to drop some weight along the way but also because I am me, and if I wait until I’m a perfect me, I’ll never, ever be happy. And happy is what we all deserve to be.
September 2013 with Bouddicca, happy happy
by Jenny Willis
Mona Karel Author 
Claim it, tall and proud. and a good dog at your side! Hooray for taking back the power!
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Thanks! Better late than never
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We have to learn to not look at ourselves through other’s people’s eyes, but only our own..but it is hard. I proud of how hard you are working at being healthy. You are a beautiful woman inside and out. I was talking to my little sister today about this topic. During middle and high school never being good enough. I was starving myself and disgusted with my self that could not drop below 110 pounds…even not eating for 4 out 7 days a week. I was 5’2′ and usually around 113- 117 pounds, wore a size 5 in clothes in high school, but girls and guys felt I was fat, and I felt I was fat.To be beautiful you needed to be a size 1 and never more than 102 pounds. I felt like a failure. Now, I am border-lining obesity and I feel more happier now, than I have ever felt about my body image. I want to lose weight, but only for health not for the beauty myth.
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Silly dear. You are one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever met
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You’re looking great. You can be proud.
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Great post. Beautiful woman. Wonderful dogs.
Please write a post about women and dogs. I think dogs are more accepting than horses.
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Thanks, Amber. A post about women and dogs…that could happen, I’m just trying to expand my horizons!
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