Acceptance... just my thoughts on the subject (LONG)

Very well stated!! The one thing I have to add is that in my quest for acceptance I don't join the catty club...  That I can either ignore or put a positive twist on what may be said. It's hard not to internalize things.  I"m a champ at that. I bless my lucky stars every day I log in to see my friends here... smiles, triumphs,  problems and tears.  What a wonderful blessed group!! Thank you my GF!  You remind me of my blessings  :)  one of which is YOU!! *hugs*

I think this is a good discussion to have and am so glad we have this message board.  Its really the only safe place I feel I'm not judged because of my surgery.  Earlier this week I was on a message board (totally different site) As I read the some of the posts they started to debate WLS and I was so shocked how ignorant people were and just out right shameful towards people who were considering or had WLS.  They called us cheaters and lazy. Of course they all knew someone who had WLS and how it didn't work for that person.  I wanted to give them all a piece of my mind.  The words they used stuck with me for a few days.  Then I went back to the site and was going to angrily write a response but it dawned on me that it doesn't really matter what they think.  I knew no matter what I wrote back or how I articulated the benefits of surgery I'm not going to change those peoples minds but I wrote a response so others reading those posts weren't shamed away from considering sugery being an option for them. 

WOW -- thanks for including me in your thin and gorgeous list!!!  Wish my head was with yours!!! 

But no matter what size, we are all beautiful to those who truly love and care about us!!!

Just like money not bringing happiness, neither does being thin.   It does help with a few things, but the head needs fixing -- and not just ours!!!  Acceptance by everyone will never be possible -- including us accepting ourselves.

I have also met a few truly close friends on this board and at our coffee groups -- we all can do no more than to just keep working at finding our balance -- both mentally and physically.