Shared story: swimsuit perils and the mermaid who saved me.
Submitted by Lesley (e-mail withheld for privacy)
Before I found this gracious wonderful blog, I was (and still sometimes struggle with) a world full of self-loathing. I’m a size 22/24 and my favorite activity is swimming, but I was always so embarrassed about my body in any swimsuits that didn’t cover me completely like a wetsuit. Esther Williams is my favorite person in the world. Her autobiography inspired me to forge ahead even when life hands you troubles and unexpected turns. I wrote to her and told her how much of an inspiration she is to me and that I had planned on dieting and working out so that someday I could lose enough weight to be worthy of one of her company’s lively bathing suits. Weeks later, I received a signed photo from her in the mail along with a beautiful suit—free of charge. I cried with joy for days and days and no one seems to understand fully what she did for me. In one small gesture of kindness, she essentially told me that no matter what size, I AM WORTHY. sadly, this suit didn’t fit me (since she had to guess because I never even gave her my size) so I decided to pass along the generosity and gave it to a friend. I was always worried about not doing an official Esther Williams swimsuit justice, but now I’m going to save up and buy one because I’m worth it. Thank you, Esther. And thank you, Daily Fatspiration blog, for letting me know my worth. :)
