HopefulFuture
Written in 2007: I have been overweight for as long as I can remember. I couldn't have been more than 4 years old when my pediatrician was taking out flow charts and showing my mom and me where "normal" 4 year olds fell and how I wasn't even on the chart. I remember always feeling different...I took dance classes as a young girl and while everyone was changing into their leotards in the main room, I would go to the bathroom to change because I didn't want anyone to see me. When I was 8 years old, I was in my first play called "The Frog Prince" (that's how my love of frogs began!) and after the show we got feedback from the director. While referring to me and in front of the entire cast, the director said that an audience member asked him "who was the pudgy girl?, she was great!"...I remember not even knowing what pudgy meant at the time, but I knew it wasn't a good thing when all the older kids in the cast kept coming up to me afterwards asking me "Lisa, are you ok? That really wasn't very nice of him to say that in front of everyone"...I cried the entire 45 minute car ride home. It was like that for me all through Elementary School, Middle School and High School. I was always hiding. In college, I bought about 5 jean jackets (blue denim, black denim, courderoy, etc) and they soon became my trademark. I'm now in law school and I wear these jackets over everything except fancy dresses (and believe me, I would if I could!) I even wear them in 95 degree weather because I don't want anyone to see me. My friends joke that if I ever get married, I would need to find a wedding dress that comes with a matching jean jacket in white. I don't want to wear the jean jackets anymore. I don't want to hide anymore. I just want to be a healthy me, and I want to be happy when I look in the mirror, happy when I walk outside and happy with the way I look. Here's to a very hopeful future!
Lisa 
