There are moments when reality hits you like a lightning bolt, like a bikini. Nothing feels subjective anymore.
Everything suddenly becomes objective. Including who you really are, how you\u2019re shaped, your curves, your measurements\u2014and, most importantly: how much you weigh.<\/p>\n
These moments overwhelm you. They knock down every certainty. In an instant, you realize you\u2019re not who you thought you were. And the one who makes you see it clearly? The cynical sales assistant. <\/p>\n
You walk into the store, feeling good, ready to buy a swimsuit.
A small, simple two-piece bikini, plain color.
You think you\u2019re doing nothing wrong.<\/p>\n
You say it with a bright, proud smile.
You imagine yourself in a few hours on the beach, enjoying a delicious ice cream cone, lying under the umbrella, feeling happy.<\/p>\n
\u2014 \u201cOkay, what size?\u201d the sales assistant asks.
\u2014 \u201cA size two.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cYou mean a size three. Maybe even a four.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cNo, a size two.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cHmm\u2026 I\u2019d say a three. Maybe a four, at least for the bottom.\u201d <\/p>\n
You think: How am I made? Am I upside down? Bottom four, top three? Can she even see?
You reply:
\u2014 \u201cLook, miss, listen carefully. I wear a size two. Please give me a size two.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cHonestly, I\u2019d have you try a four.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cGive me a two, both top and bottom.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cFour.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cTwo.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cFour.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cTwo.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cTrust me: a four.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cTwo.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cFour.\u201d
\u2014 \u201cTwo.\u201d<\/p>\n
After twenty minutes of the same back and forth, you finally triumphantly leave the store with your bikini: size two, black, simple.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s tight
You can\u2019t help but notice: the sides spill out from the elastic, but it\u2019s \u201cjust a little,\u201d you tell yourself.<\/p>\n
Then you think about that gym membership you bought months ago but never used.
Rowing machine? Who even talks about that? Let\u2019s not kid ourselves.
And seriously, what even is the word \u201crowing machine\u201d?<\/p>\n
You think about the \u201cwonder drawer\u201d in your kitchen\u2014that stash of cookies\u2026
One, two, three\u2026
Come on, I won\u2019t eat any tomorrow. What harm could it do? <\/p>\n
You admit to yourself that maybe the three on top and four on the bottom would have been a better fit.
That the cynical sales assistant wasn\u2019t so cynical after all. She was just honest.
But deep down, you hadn\u2019t asked her to tell you any truth.
So, she stays cynical about your bikini<\/p>\n
You remember you could use a few filters on social media\u2026
But honestly, you don\u2019t even care about social media.
And besides, you don\u2019t even have a filter app.<\/p>\n
On the side of those who take perfect selfies?
Or on the side of those who hide under the umbrella, hoping not to be noticed?<\/p>\n
Your phone rings. It\u2019s your friend:
\u2014 \u201cGoing out tonight?\u201d
\u2014 \u201cSure.\u201d <\/p>\n
You smile
There it is.
You\u2019re on the side of the happy ones.
The happy ones. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There are moments when reality hits you like a lightning bolt, like a bikini. Nothing feels subjective anymore. Everything suddenly becomes objective. Including who you really are, how you\u2019re shaped, your curves, your measurements\u2014and, most importantly: how much you weigh. These moments overwhelm you. They knock down every certainty. In an instant, you realize you\u2019re […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1021,"featured_media":900464,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[84],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-900463","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-omnibus"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n