"Love is a strange emotion. It is ever evolving. Lust is transient. With time, one realises that love and togetherness are two different things. Very few people are lucky enough to experience the two emotions simultaneously". Randeep Hooda
An appalling TV show has appeared on our screens showing naked men and women attracted to a partner of the opposite sex after looking (along with millions of viewers) at their private parts. "Tacky Tele" indeed but it set me thinking.
The majority of us are less than physically perfect, we accept what Nature dishes out to us at birth and learn to make the best of it. From a young age we create a body image for ourselves which is unique. We cleverly emphasis our assets and play down, or disguise our faults. This body image is how others will perceive us. That is if we keep our clothes on!
Irrespective of age nature encourages us to find a partner, a companion , a soul mate who we grow to love and feel confident with. Someone we appreciate for their mind and spirit and who we may desire to get closer to. This takes time and is irrespective of the actual physical bodies of the 2 people concerned. Feeling at ease we may naturally end up baring all, with the happy consequence of becoming intimate. Happiness, wellbeing and respect for others is surely what matters in life - or am I old fashioned? Whatever happened to love?
The majority of us are physically less than "perfect" and nobody likes rejection. But thankfully one learns with maturity that what goes on inside a fellow human being is far, far more important than what he or she has to flaunt! To most people life will present a physical challenge along the way but we learn to cope and remain comfortable in our own skin.
Over 30 years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer which necessitated a bi-lateral mastectomy followed by immediate reconstruction. This was difficult and challenged my self-image, but I'm all the stronger for it. Simply relying on looks that fade after the first flush of youth is superficially tragic, and what concerns me with programmes like this is the message it's giving to our already insecure young people? "Rejected if not seen physically attractive" I sincerely hope not - for all of us what really matters is how we see ourselves.