it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile...

i'm sure you've all heard that old addage, "it takes 37 muscles to frown and 22 muscles to smile."
we all laugh and think, oh what a cute phrase, but have you ever really thought about it? taking anatomy and physiology this semester has me much more attuned to my body, and what an amazing machine it really is. it takes 22 muscles to smile. 22! smiling is something we often take for granted, much like the rest of our bodies. in fact, i spent more years mistreating my body than giving it the respect it deserves. not only do my muscles allow me to move, drive, dance, jump, play, and experience life, but my brain is a constant fire of neurons, neurotransmitters, and signals sent out to every part of my body. so much of our bodies are made up of intricate, tiny little nerves and fibers, and if one is out of place then a number of things can go wrong. the science behind our ability to function is amazing. truly amazing. i can't help but be appreciative of the masterpiece that God created. i may not like myself at times or love the way i look, but i do love that my body functions as it was designed to, even after all the abuse i put it through. now, when i look in the mirror i think of all the operations going on underneath the surface instead of dwelling on how i like/don't like the outer surface. i think that if we could think about ourselves beyond the exterior that we would learn to be so much more appreciative of the bodies we were given. at least that is how it is becoming for me. i like that my muscles are in good shape, and my brain is fully functioning. i like that my sleep cycle has started to regulate and my concentration and memory are more up to par than they have been in years.
it may be hard for me to say that i like my body right now, but i can definitely say that i like what my body can do and allows me to do. maybe that is where i need to start with things. learning to appreciate the functions until i can start to appreciate the whole.
well, i better get going. my brain must be signaling my stomach that i need to eat because my tummy is growling.
my hope is that y'all can start to appreciate the things your bodies allow you to do and acknowledge them more and more often!
love, LB