Me and My Jean Shorts

Right now, I'm wearing the first pair of shorts I've ever bought, which were purchased last summer. For many people, wearing shorts is simply a decision regarding weather and fashion, and nothing more.

For me it's different. For my entire teenage years and college career, you've probably never seen me wear a pair of shorts. The only time someone saw me wear them was if I was in my apartment/house and I probably had little else to wear. I had never stepped out of my domicile in a pair of shorts until last summer.

I was thinking today that there is something freeing about simply wearing a pair of shorts. For so long, I was committed to never letting anyone beyond family see my legs. I was so insecure about the way I looked, about my body, that I covered up every part of myself except for my face. In high school, I constantly wore hoodies in addition to jeans. I shamed myself into portraying myself as merely a face and two hands.

So lying here on my bed and feeling the cold air of my room caress and envelop my legs reminds me of how far I have come, how I've shed the weight of scrutiny and inferiority, which honestly weighs more than I ever could. Being free of that burden has allowed me to live a more liberated existence where embarrassment and self-hate don't exist. Making the conscious decision to even wear a pair of shorts, for me, is one that exudes courage.

Besides, my butt looks great in these shorts too. 8D