I don't need someone who loves me despite my size or because of my size. I want someone who loves me enough to see everything else too.

Sometimes I think about how much time I wasted in high school worrying about my body. Not taking care of it. Not appreciating it. Not celebrating it. Worrying about it. I spent so much energy trying to figure out how to be smaller. How to sit smaller. How to dress smaller. How to eat smaller. How to exist smaller. Every school dance, every class photo, every club activity, every trip out with friends seemed to come with the same underlying question: How can I make people noti

If you were to look through old photos of me, you'd probably notice a pattern. Cardigan. Cardigan. Ruana. Cardigan. Different color, same concept. For years, a cardigan was my go-to layer. It didn't matter if it was 95 degrees outside or if I was headed to class, work, church, or dinner. Chances are, I had a cardigan on. At the time, I convinced myself it was because they were practical. And they are. They're versatile. They're comfortable. They go with everything. But if I'm