Body Parts - My Tummy, I loathe it, I love It - The Gallery Week 41

If you click on the photo of the camera lens coffee mug above, it will take you to the Sticky Fingers blog where you can learn all about The Gallery, where hundreds of bloggers take part in sharing a themed photo from their collection. The last theme was "love" you can view my post here. This week, it's a tricky one, body parts.  I am sharing with you one of those shots that should never be shared, a joke shot, an embarrassment so I hope you appreciate this Tara Cain! One of those daft pics that are taken on holiday, that you quickly edit from the photo album before you post your pictures on Facebook.

I have a really beautiful shot of my toddler breast feeding, which I wish I was brave enough to share with the world.  There aren't enough shots of breast feeding toddlers out there, showing breasts in action, doing what they are supposed to do.  Unfortunately because of the taboo inflicted by Western society, I don't feel it fair on my husband to share a shot of my breast with the world.

I would like to talk about my stomach.  There's a lot of stomach hate going on at the moment, a lot of us are trying to reduce our tummies after the seasonal overload.  I am that's for sure. I would have liked to have posted a shot of my tummy in it's current state, but taking a self portrait isn't very easy and I am sure my husband would think I was a complete loon if I asked him to take a picture of my tummy to share on the internet.  So, here is one he took three years ago on Barcelona beach.

I don't like my tummy right now, it hangs at the sides and protrudes further out than my no-longer-breastfeeding breasts. Dizzy grabbed it the other day and went yuk, a fine opinion coming from a toddler, "From the mouths of babes as they say."

But really, my stomach is not something to be despised. it is something to be celebrated. It may be covered in stretch marks and has a line of nigra that's been there for fourteen years since baby number one.  When I look at these marks that show up as imperfections, they really are a reminder of what perfection can be.  They are the reminders of the beauty of life, which I nurtured and grew within.

I  have new marks on my belly, scars from the removal of a fallopian tube that took place two weeks after this, which granted was keyhole surgery and scars from my appendix being removed.  Now, that was keyhole as well, but as they couldn't go through the same spot again, I now have an extra large Frankenstein style belly button. My stomach really has let me down on occasions.

I will probably not ever wear a bikini again.  But I will not lament. I will celebrate the wonderful people it has created by sharing this shot, for the human body is an amazing thing.  I am fascinated by it as I have said before and will always take surreptitious glances at other people's bodies if I think I can get away with it, so I am loving the chance to sneak a peak at everyone else's posts and body parts over at the Sticky Fingers Blog.  Thank you Tara!

Belly