Thursday, May 30, 2013

Be Your Own Beloved #27

Every day, I am taking a self-portrait in conjunction with Vivienne McMaster's Be Your Own Beloved e-course. Sometimes it takes me longer - like a month - but I'm dedicated to finishing this project!

I've got big strong legs. They carry me through this world.

Today's assignment is to "gift ourselves with Bravery," which is such a perfect way to phrase it, because when we are brave, face our fears and take action, it can feel like the most delicious gift possible. Vivienne asked specifically "What type of photo could you do today that would feel empowering, knowing that we are here to catch that brave act and hold it safely?" One of her suggestions was to take "a photo from an unexpected angle" which really excited me. When I combined that idea with being brave, I knew immediately what I wanted to do... and I was petrified.

I am a big-legged woman. I'm pretty sure I inherited these powerful tree trunk legs from my Mother's Mother, which makes them Scottish-German legs, good for pulling the plow and withstanding strong winds of change. My big legs do great things for me every day - besides just the usual holding me up and carrying me though the world. They are strong for weightlifting. They are strong for dancing. They are strong for jumping. But they are also not conventionally attractive and I have always felt shameful of them. I have hid them most of my life and even now, it is rare that I ever wear shorts - but I do wear skirts and show my bare legs, so I'm getting there.

Another from the Big Legs series.

When I read today's assignment, I knew that it was time to take a picture of my legs. I was so scared to begin, but just as Vivienne said, it was such a gift to give myself. I ended up spending over an hour taking pictures of my legs and playing with the images. I started to delight in the vastness of my thighs and the texture and curves of my big calves. I now have a whole series of leg pictures and I want to take more! If it weren't for this assignment, I probably never would have focused on my legs so intently and discovered a deeper layer to their beauty. Being brave truly is a gift.

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