I looked at her in astonishment.
It turned out that she had also been overweight when she was young.
Her own mother had frequently mocked her.
She had spent her entire youth following strict diets and trying to fit other people’s ideas of beauty.
“
I’m sixty-six years old,” she whispered, “and to this day, I still won’t go to the beach because I’m ashamed of my legs.”
When I heard those words, I embracedher.
We both cried.
From that day forward, our relationship changed.
My mother-in-law never criticized my body again.
In fact, one day she asked me to help her choose a beautiful dress.
Not something loose and unnoticeable.
But a bright red dress.
She told me:
“I’ve worn black my entire life so people wouldn’t notice me. Maybe it’s finally time to start living.”
Two months later, our daughter was born.
