Skin
When my oldest daughter was about 8-years-old, she refused to wear her coat while waiting for the school bus in the winter. When I asked her why, she said “Because it makes me look fat.” Now you have to understand that she was pencil thin, not even close to being chubby. It made me wonder how early these tapes get into people’s heads. We have to look a certain way and be a certain weight, or we’re not loveable.
I know that I have been concerned about my own weight since I was a chubby 4th grader, and a doctor put me on an 800 calorie-a-day diet. I was eating tuna out of a can with lettuce and an apple while all my friends were eating hamburgers, fries, and candy bars. It seemed like I was hungry all the time. I became very familiar with my stomach growling. Although I technically didn’t lose any weight, I must have grown taller as I started to become thinner. But I still wonder if that didn’t mess up my metabolism and cause me not to grow as tall as I could have been. (I ended up being only 4 foot 10 inches tall.)
But just last weekend, I went to see my friend Greg Tamblyn sing at a local church. I thought I knew most of his music, but he surprised me by singing a song called “Skin.” Below are the lyrics:
“Skin” Lyrics
I want to talk about you Darlin’ and skin
You know I love to look at you and touch the skin you’re in
All your lotions and potions, I really am impressed
But here’s a little something that I need to confess
You don’t ever have to make your face up for me
I’m hooked on the look you got naturally
I know it’s kind of fun to get all glamored up
But don’t buy the story that you need it for love
You read it in the magazines you see it on TV
You’re sold a phony notion that you’re only skin deep
But you don’t have to color it or stretch it or thin it
What really turns me on is that you're comfortable in it
Some of your friends I think they’ve really flipped their wig
They shoot poison in their brow and puff their lips up big
You suck the fat from underneath, let doctors cut and lift it
You try to rearrange the skin that gravity has shifted
Think of all the time wasted and money spent
Trying to ignite a spark but in the end
But you don’t have to color it or tighten it or thin it
What really turns me on is that you're comfortable in it
You’re never quite as gorgeous as when you don’t hide
And show me what you know is beautiful inside
The power of attraction is multiplied by ten
I love it when we’re real and nothing is pretend
There's nothing to make up for, you’re fabulous enough
And I love kissing you without that that sticky lip stuff
But you don’t have to color it or tighten it or thin it
What really turns me on is that you're comfortable in it
©2006 Greg Tamblyn and Karen Taylor-Good
It's a really cool song when you hear it with the music. Check it out: https://gregtamblyn.com/track/3043016/skin. He also has other great funny and inspirational songs that are worth hearing. Check out his website: https://gregtamblyn.com/.
I’ll be talking to him this week about the story behind why he wrote this song, but I love its message and wish everyone who needs some self-acceptance could take it to heart.
Joke: For nuns, going to church is just a habit.
Quote: Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. — Coco Chanel
Advice: Become comfortable with who you are because you can never be anyone else.