My Heavily Googled Article

I was surprised that my article "A Distorted View on Beauty recently had so many hits from the States and other parts of the world. I guess the article must have been featured somewhere. Nevertheless I am glad that it had been featured because I wish to help those with anorexic problems.

A friend, Kum Seng, had suggested that the photos of the anorexic lady could be doctored for how could any one with so skinny a body live and even flex her arms? I told Kum Seng it was a genuine photo because the model died shortly after those pictures were taken. Also, the young girl whom I counselled was so thin that even my small palms could clasp her upper arms! Later, Kum Seng googlged and saw some u-tubes on anorexic ladies. I had posted one in this article.

Anorexic people can be helped, but help must come quickly or their bodies would be wasted away. I hope that all modelling agencies will quickly send their models for counselling, especially for those who are too thin. Some of the models actually look like parading skeletons! Once a friend of mine who had quit the modelling scene shared with me how terrified they were to eat.....they were afraid to put on even an ounce. Once four models shared one hamburger, cut into four pieces. How miserable! Most of the models look like they could afford to put on a kilo or two.

Many teenagers are confused and are trapped by what they see on the media....that thin is beautiful and hence detest their seemingly plump figures. A good percentage of teenagers have tried dieting at one time or another. Once, one of my nieces, started rejecting all the food given to her, and soon lost quite a bit of weight. Thank God that she soon resumed eating normally. Another niece started to lose weight soon after she fell in love. She wanted to look good for her partner. At her wedding, many of the guys in church wondered how they could have missed my niece. She looked absolutely gorgeous! If only they had courted her when she was still somewhat plump. I wonder if these guys ever learn their lessons? They should take a look at their own mothers with their rotundness. However, weren't their mothers almost pencil slim when they first got married?

This is why when I was a teacher in the secondary school, I told my form class not to poke fun at their friends who were less than slim. Often teenagers became anorexic because they had been laughed and jeered at, and their desire to lose weight and to lose weight fast was wanting acceptance by their peers.

Parents should always try to be good support and advisors to their children, for everyday, we are bombarded with so many advertisements of looking good and slim by slimming centres, products that help to lose weight, etc. etc. When a child feels loved, there is little necessity to look for extra acceptance.

I remember once mama called me her ugly duckling and papa quickly chipped in, "But I love this ugly duckling. She's my most precious child!" It was always papa's great love and assurance that made me grow up to be what I am today, an overweight but confident and happy adult. If I desire to lose weight it would be for health reasons.

Remember, let us all be gentle with our words and refrain from making jokes on the physique of others. Let us always speak words of encouragement and acceptance.


Gan Chau