As an act of boredom while waiting in line to vote on Tuesday, I stood staring at my driver’s license and chuckled to myself as I discovered an interesting dichotomy. The picture of me was not as bad as others I have seen on driver licenses. In it, I am wearing make-up and my eyes are open; my hair doesn’t look too out of place; and I don’t have a goofy grin on my face. Of course, my double chin protrudes, but as far as pics taken by BMV workers go, it’s really not too shabby. Yet over the last few months my appearance has changed and this pic no longer gives the best representation of my physical appearance. Interestingly, though, the number listed as my weight on the license is a more accurate portrayal of me now than when the picture was taken. At that time there was no way I wanted to reveal the truth of such huge number so I rounded it down to something I thought was more acceptable. It’s funny how we humans deny some essential truths about ourselves – lying to ourselves and others. It seems easier to lie and hide than to face reality. But eventually there comes a time when we can no longer lie and hide. It is only when we are honest with ourselves and are open to the truth of our realities that we can change and be transformed. As painful as it is, the truth is ultimately freeing and liberating. I am grateful for this weight loss journey and for the opportunity to examine myself and reflect on who I am. And I am happy to report that I now weigh a whole two (yes, just 2!) pounds less than what is recorded on my driver’s license!

Until next time, peace …