Clothes Tell the Story

Earlier this week I asked you what an ideal weight for myself might be, you were noncommittal and tried to focus me on other things instead. Do I feel good? Do I have lots of energy? Specifically, one of the things I remember you said was “If your clothes fit…” Let me finish that thought for you now.

No. They don’t.

Yesterday I started going through my closet and removing the things that were too big. This picture (in which Kaia kindly posed to establish perspective) is what I took out. And actually this isn’t everything. I had to keep a few things so I’d still have something to wear (I may work at UC Berkeley but even they draw the line at nakedness sometimes…) I am not a shopper or a clothes horse (athletic apparel accepted)– this stack represents a pretty good snapshot of what was in my closet. Now it’s full of empty hangers.

I was probably within range of my current weight in college 15 years ago, but I question whether I looked or felt this good. Sometimes I don’t even think I was this strong. My problem then was that I tended to balance out being a Division I athlete with my general all-around lazy attitude towards everything, an attitude that surfaced whenever I could get away with it– from eating and drinking habits, to dogging it in workouts. Now? Maybe I’ve learned a few things.

So I get what you were trying to say. My weight will never tell the whole story. But I think my clothes are starting to.

-Mel Dixon