Jolly Jeralyn

When I was in seventh grade, an older boy, who rode my bus, started teasing me about being "fat." Now, all my life, I have been heavy, but, up to that point, no one had said anything mean about it. As with all seventh grade girls, my opinion of myself came from others, so his words went straight to heart. 

For several years after that, I defined myself as "fat girl." I hated my body. In high school, I even went as far as to eat nothing but saltine crackers and drink sprite. This made me so sick that I ended up with an infection in my stomach. But I lost weight. 

Then, I went to college, and I realized that no one there cared about my size. So I ate what I wanted to eat and didn't think a second thought about my weight. 

I met the man I would marry my freshman year of college, and he really didn't care about my weight. He still doesn't. After we got married, I still had my doubts about myself. To this day, I do, but, to this day, he affirms me. He lifts me up, calls me beautiful. 

I've recently decided to lose weight, but not for anyone but me. I want to be healthy. I want to live to see my future children graduate high school, college, have babies, live life. I'm changing myself for myself. I love my life now and I love my body because, after all these years, I've come to the realization that I AM enough