beach tales

last week as I sat on the beach in Umdloti, a lady arrived there and sat down near to us with her two small kids.  now that in itself was not a big deal, but what really interested me was the fact that this lady was so self confident.  she was a big lady.  a really big lady.  and she had on the most gorgeous turquoise costume.  well fitted and perfect for her.  

now i watch young girls with fascination on the beach.  and here i mean the 17 - 19 ish category.  they have the loveliest bodies.  pretty bikinis and then they have this cover up issue.  they arrive at the beach in their bikinis with tiny shorts and a T or else some sort of something over their bikini.  when they get to the beach it only gets removed when a) they are sure no-one on the beach is looking b) they are sure the lifeguard is otherwise occupied and c) they are close to their towels .... preferably removing this whilst on their towels.  society has caused this.

then the walk to the water ...... very often accompanied by their towel around them which gets dropped as close to the water as can be without it getting wet.  this year at least jess and her bff gained some wonderful confidence .... off with the cover ups on the beach and running around playing soccer ... in the water .... back out ...... swimming ..... tanning ..... good for you girls ..... but the majority of the girls on the beach don't do this. 

most bigger ladies on the beach prefer to remain in shorts and t-shirts.  or swim with a huge tshirt over their costumes.  or don't move off their chairs.  this lady however marched over to the water and had a fantastic time playing in it with her kids.  she did not pull her costume down at the back and up in front all the time.  she was at the coast and she was going to enjoy it.  when the swim was done she strolled happily up to their towels, lay down and enjoyed the sun. 

imagine if everyone could be this comfortable on the beach.  feel quite happy to walk across the sand in front of people and have fun in the water.  but somehow our society is very harsh about this ....you either too fat, too skinny, too knock-kneed, too pale, too ugly, too this or too that. 

sad .... but true 

till next time  .... c'est la vie 
xxxx