Confessions of a Momentary Narcissist

I was tired. REALLY tired.

And I was sore. REALLY sore.

I hauled myself out of bed at 6:30am for the three times weekly morning salsa rehearsal. I stretched and my neck/shoulders and knees sounded like Rice Krispies. I trudged groggily to the shower (hoping my peppermint shampoo would give me a kick) ... and felt the hot water releasing my tense and aching neck/shoulder/back/butt/leg muscles. The previous night's epsom salt bath (now a nightly dance pain relief ritual) helped me sleep, but, alas, I'd seized up again.

My body was screaming, "Dude! what are you doing to me?!"

I responded, "I'm turning you into a beautiful dancer, so suck it up!"

I grabbed a towel ... was contemplating a cup of strong tea to get moving ... and then caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.

Through the steam, I could see sharper lines around the collar bones ... my neck looked longer ... there was actual muscle on the shoulders and in the arms ... I held my posture straighter ... and as for the butt? Well, ladies, lemme tell ya ... two weeks of salsa classes and you won't need that expensive pair of Spanx you picked up at The Bay.

Now, I'll be honest ... I went through a bit of a body image transformation when I hit thirty. It was a time of saying hello to grey hair, cellulite, love-handles ... everything our feminist selves tell us is just part of nature and should be embraced ... but that, admittedly you kind of detest at the same time.

Well, at thirty, you kind of stop caring what people think ... the physical body is your vessel ... your machine that helps you move through the world ... it is your unique make-up ... and a "good" body is one that is healthy and strong, and radiates from the inside.

The thirties teach you about embracing and working what yo mama gave you, and then covertly hiding the things that keep the beauty industry making billions of dollars. When I see us practicing in the mirror and see a level of strength and grace that is slowly developing, I'm honoured, and kinda proud ... I will take the aches any day. And hey, I'm doing my part to help during the economic crisis by keeping the epsom salt companies in business for the next few months!

*Note: when you add in a belief that "we are spiritual beings having a physical experience" ... the whole thing becomes moot anyway, but I digress ...