Struggles of A Hairy Indian

I still remember the day like it was yesterday. Janis Prins invited a bunch of the boys and girls of our class to her house for a hot tub party on Friday, leaving just two days to get ready. Puberty had recently struck, meaning I had become about 100x more self-conscious since the last time I took my shirt off in front of anyone besides my Mom.

I was excited, but equally scared. I had so much to prove to the girls, how could I get ready for the hot tub party with such short notice?

Sit ups. Duh.

So there I was, sitting in my bed Thursday night, quietly doing 1000 reps so that I could ensure my (non-existent) abs would be perfectly chiseled for Friday evening’s affair. And by 1000, I mean 10.

The night came and went, and not even ONE girl commented on how perfectly refined my six-pack was. Unbelievable! Surely those 10 reps would’ve done the trick.

I kid, but this moment was the start of a long journey to become comfortable in my skin. Or to be more accurate, comfortable in my hair. Very FEW things hit closer to our sense of self than our physical bodies. They are the houses we live in for our entire time on earth.
And it is for this reason that many of the insecurities men face are concerning their body – to be stronger, skinnier, taller, shorter, muscular, etc.

Regardless of the shape God has given you, there is only one Biblical response to your body – love it. Yes, the love handles might be a bit larger than seasons past. The hair on your head might be looking a bit thin. The six-pack might be a bit...uh...hidden. But God has given you a body and He loves it just the way it is.

I still get self-conscious when I take my shirt off. Sometimes I hear my friends teasing me, “Hey Sathiya, now that your shirt is off, when are you going to take your sweater off?” Those comments used to hurt, but honestly, I hear them now and laugh. You gotta admit – that’s pretty clever!

That’s because I use these moments as opportunities to remind myself that I am unconditionally worthy of love, regardless of shape/type/size. Some seasons I may be leaner, other seasons I may be thicker, all seasons I will be hairier.

Bottom line: my body is beautiful. No man gets to decide that – God’s verdict is the one that stands for me, and it’s the one that stands for you too.

Your body is beautiful. Learn to love it.

Cheering you on,
Sathiya