This past weekend, my BGFF (best good friend forever) and I went to a spa in Virginia. She and I have had tons of adventures over the years. We’ve been friends since the 10th grade, but the adventure we had on Saturday not only brought us closer together, it also completely catapulted us out of our comfort zones.
At this particular spa, there is a sauna and bade pool area, a 3-foot deep pool that consists of 10 or so jets designed massage different parts of your body, from the neck to the calves. Awesome, wonderful, we couldn’t wait to get in there and relax like crazy. Oh by the way, nudity is mandatory in this area.
Wait, WHAAAAT?!?!?!?
She and I looked at each other and could not stop giggling. There’s no way we could strip down to our birthday suits in front of each other, and more importantly in front of complete strangers! We were completely petrified and bashful, which is somewhat odd. We have lived together, and I was there when she had both of her children. Finally, as it usually happens in our previous adventures together, I decide that I’m going to do it. I strip down, and of course she follows suit soon after.
Giggles giggles giggles galore as we try to cover up with the hand towels the spa provides. As we stepped into one of the hot tubs and take in our naked surroundings (not coed by the way), we begin to let down our guard and completely relax. My BFFF looks over at me and says, “I feel so free,” and I realized I felt the same way.
For so long I’ve been ashamed of my body and disgusted by what I see as imperfections and betrayal of my body for not being perfect. I’ve done horrible things to my body over the years in an effort to make it something else. I’ve done everything except love and appreciate it for what it is and how it looks.
This is the skin and body that has been given to me. It may not be a size 2 or size 12, but it’s mine and it’s healthy and it functions well. As I enjoyed all of the perks in the sauna and bade pool area of the spa, I started to appreciate my body a little bit more and not view it as a shameful thing.
I felt free.
By Courtney Hill, LCPC, Adjunct Supervisor at The Body Image Therapy Center. If you would like to get in touch with Courtney please call (877-674-2843) or email [email protected].