Of Tabloids, Mammograms, and Mountain Lions |
Three things happened to me last week that renewed my faith in human beings and their idea of beauty.
Standing in line at the grocery store, I peeked at the celeb gossip magazine. Of course, it's bathing-suit season, so bikinis galore. The paparazzi rags photographed some notable actresses on the beach. And I was amazed at how "normal" they looked. Some of my favorite stars have lumpy legs, big butts, and droopy boobs (hooray). Refreshing to see celeb cellulite. Obviously none of them were into plastic surgery (double hooray). But most of all the actresses, who make money by their looks, weren't in any rush to hide from the photographers, nor were they threatening to sue the papers. It's as though they were trying to send us women a message -- we're just like you. And remember the celluloid machine is hard at work to fool everyone.
In a recent article in Forbes magazine, of all places, I was heartened to read that women are now making more informed decisions about their health. Women are choosing to get their annual mammograms with new digital technology even if their insurance companies won't reimburse them. They are in touch with their bodies and their medical histories, and they understand their risks. Many breast cancer survivors schedule their exams every six months to make sure the cancer is at bay. They know that life is beautiful and worth living. Here is a handy tool for risk assessment . Be honest, because it's a matter of life and death.
Lastly, I watched one of my favorite medical survival shows in which a woman was attacked by a mountain lion while riding her bike. Most animal behavior specialists will tell you (and her) that mountain lions shy away from humans. They rarely attack, but this one had killed another cyclist earlier that day. The lion grabbed her by the head, ripped off the side of her face, and put holes all along her neck and jaw. The plastic surgeon did his best, but the skin was so damaged that the scars are apparent today even though the attack took place a few years back. Her sweet smile is off quite a bit. But her husband said: "I don't see the scars, I see my beautiful wife." He values her life, her dignity, and her presence in his life. Amen, brother.
Pretty faces and bodies age, become diseased, or are ravaged by accidents. Every day we are challenged to see the intrinsic charm of women or see only the imperfections and miss the opportunity to celebrate beauty. |
Bernadette Sukley |
| About the author: |
| Bernadette Sukley has written, edited, fact checked for nearly 20 years. Her topics range from health to sports and lifestyle, from human interest to hard news. Her work has appeared in Men’s Health, Sports Illustrated for Women, and ABROAD magazines. Currently polishing up 3 novels for publication, she welcomes discussions on women and literature.
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