Life’s Magic Lives Inside Each of Us!

By Sister Julie Myers, OSF

Since joining the team of A Nun’s Life Ministry two years ago, I spend a bit of time on social media—probably more than my whole 24 years in healthcare combined! But it serves as a platform for those who want to and sometimes just need to let their voice be heard. It seems to me that the most popular hangout for people is Facebook.

The other day I came across a post from a young mother of two. She wrote an expressive message about the frustration she feels with her weight, or as she stated: “being so fat”. She went on to say: “I have spent 90% of my life weighing 120 lbs. and wearing a size 5, and it is just so hard to look at myself like this when I know I have the potential to be one very hot mama like I once was.” She continues in the vein about how unhappy she is and feels it is the source of her depression, and so realizes that she must take hold of herself and make some changes.

This post stayed with me for a long time as the emptiness between the lines lingered in my heart. The struggle was very real for her and I could certainly understand her frustration with the weight gain and the desire to look good again! We’ve all been there! But the exterior body does not define the interior person. Life experiences, whether we marry, stay single or enter religious life—help mold us into the person and character we were made to be. Who I was and what I looked like in my teens or my 20’s and 30’s, is not who I am or what I look like now. Each decade defines our character in a deeper, richer self and our true person slowly evolves. Our physical bodies go through changes as we engage with each opportunity life throws at us and that too, is evolving.

We can’t make life changes alone! We need support from family and friends and even the Facebook world. There are so many positive and very wise messages on social media. I pray this young woman and all the women like her, find these positive messages, take them to heart and encourage their inner woman to stand strong, be brave and find ways to embrace what is good and positive in their lives. I firmly believe that the beauty of the person is not in their looks and physique, but the inner person that shines from their eyes and lights up their smile.

Like the Facebook post I just found today from Warrior Goddess Women encourages, “Teach her that the magic is inside of her, not out there.” (fb.com/Warrior Goddess Training). Let us teach this powerful message as we engage with our social media friends and support others who struggle to define their character and care for their bodies.