The Hourglass Dress
By Jan I. Phillips Once upon a time, in a land not far from here, there was a king who had a dream. In this dream, he saw the image of a woman in an hourglass dress, so tiny at the waist he could wrap his hands around her and his fingers would touch. I must find this woman whose waist I can span with both of my hands for that is the sign of the truest beauty, the king proclaimed when he awoke. Quick! Fetch the dressmaker to make this dress and I will offer jewels and riches and a place in my palace to any woman who can wear the dress. Word went out throughout the land that the king was seeking women with an hourglass shape to live in his palace and surround him with beauty. From the north and south and east and west, thousands and thousands of women flocked to the palace, eager to be called beautiful and to share in the riches the king was offering. But alas, not one could fit in the dress. For they were hardy women who had worked in the fields, tended the animals, given birth to children, raised families, and eaten enough to be strong and healthy. Each was beautiful in her own way, but none had a waist tiny enough to fit in the hourglass dress. The king was growing weary with the search for the perfect woman, so he ordered the dressmakers in all the lands to make nothing but these hourglass dresses. We must teach them early, before its too late, said the king in his panic to get control. He ordered tiny dolls with hourglass figures for all the young girls to learn about beauty and tend to their shapes from an early age. Before long people everywhere thought of beauty as an hourglass shape. They said good things about women who had it and bad things about women who didnt. To avoid being shamed by being too large, many women began to starve themselves. They became weaker and weaker in body and spirit, and spent most of their time minding their shape so they could fit into the kings special dress. Men tried to help the women achieve this hourglass shape for now they only wanted women who looked like this. They made undergarments that pushed womens flesh from one place to another. Women laced themselves into stiff corsets that were shaped like the dress, but it was hard to breathe and move about. They bought expensive potions that falsely promised to dull their appetites. And doctors operated on one after another, removing ribs, making some parts bigger and some parts smaller. For the sake of this beauty dreamed up by the king, women sacrificed greatly and taught their daughters to do the same. Some even died. And back at the palace, women were still coming from miles around. Millions and millions tried on the dress, and millions and millions didnt fit. They left the palace feeling bad and sad that they were not the right shape and not beautiful at all. In the end, after all the attempts to squeeze into the dress, only thirteen women accomplished this feat. And these thirteen moved into the palace where the king showered them with jewels and gifts and paraded them for all to admire. Days turned into months, and each day was much like the last. They started to feel bored and were always hungry. And they worked very hard to keep their hourglass shapes, running up and down the palace steps to work off the small bit of food that they ate. One day it came to pass as they were eating their tiny portions of carrots and celery and leaves of green lettuce with nothing on it, that one of the thirteen spoke out, Im sick of this! Whats so great about this hourglass shape if its all I ever get to think about? The king says that only those who fit the dress are beautiful, but when I look about at the other women, I find beauty there no matter what their size. I find beauty in their sturdiness and strength, in every curve and muscle, in their tender eyes and loving hands. I even see beauty in the wrinkles in their faces. Where did this notion of beauty come from anywayfrom one kings dream? No, real beauty is bigger than that. Real beauty is big enough to hold us all. Hmmm… muttered the others, nodding their heads. Shes right. Before the kings dream, we all thought we were beautiful just as we were, said one. We were happier then, too. And we ate what we wanted. And we were strong, said another.And free, another added. And we had fun, and danced and played. We had real things to talk about and real things to do. But we didnt have these jewels, nor the kings attention, nor these fine clothes, whispered another. True, said another, but has it made you happy to put your whole mind on the shape of your waist and eat nothing but morsels and run upstairs and downstairs hour after hour? I guess not. The more they talked, the more they learned from each others stories. No one had been happy starving herself. Each had longed for the days when she could eat what she wanted and not be judged for the size of her waist. And each lived in fear of outgrowing the dress and being cast shamefully out of the palace. Their talking made them feel brave and less alone. Their pain lessened when they shared their stories and their strength and resolve grew and grew until the day arrived they decided to leave. No! shouted the king when they revealed their plan. After all Ive done for you, you cannot leave me! It is only your beauty that feeds my soul. If its real beauty you hunger for, they said, then look again at the people around you with eyes that go deeper than flesh and form. Look at their faces, the spark in their eyes, the joy in their movement, the kindness and love they share with each otherthat, my king, is real beauty. And so it was the thirteen women left the palace, returning to their homes, far and wide. They convened circles, large and small, to share what they knew about real beauty and warn all people that a waist is a terrible thing to mind. THE END Jan Phillips is an award-winning writer, speaker, and multi-media artist. She is the author of The Art of Original Thinking-The Making of a Thought Leader, Divining the Body, God Is at Eye Level - Photography as a Healing Art, Marry Your Muse, Making Peace and A Waist is a Terrible Thing to Mind. She has taught in over 23 countries and conducts workshops nationally in creativity, consciousness, and spirituality. You may subscribe to her free monthly Museletter at www.janphillips.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_I._Phillips http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Hourglass-Dress&id=330041 ambien goldclubmeds ambien cr image help in obtaining ambien sleep medicine free buy ativan without prescription
