It occurred to me this morning as I was stuffing myself into a pair of control top pantyhose, that I no longer wear undergarments. I wear body armour. It seems all my undergarments are made of industrial strength elastic layers and reinforced with titanium. My underwear is designed to lift, shape, control, protect, reduce and otherwise disguise the truth about my body.

What happened to all the silky, satiny, lacey items I used to pull from my lingerie drawer? All of my beautiful, sexy undergarments have slowly disappeared over the last 10-12 years. I once owned a lavender camisole that tied up the front with 20 tiny satin ribbons. Now I am excited by extra padding on the shoulder straps and by how good my legs feel if I wear support hose when I know I am going to be on my feet all day.

And, yes, I know that I could have left off a few cheeseburgers, dishes of ice cream and second helpings of coconut cream pie, but, really I am thankful for every extra pound and every sign that my body is growing older. I am thankful at the same time that I am trying to lose those extra pounds and while I am working to look as young as I feel. I am thankful because those extra pounds mean that I have more than enough to eat. I am thankful because I have the opportunity as a woman to be financially independent and to make decisions for myself. I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful that I do not have to live in fear.

So, while I may not be particularly happy with the contents of my lingerie drawer, I can still find many reasons to be thankful for those very contents. May you also find an abundance of reasons to be thankful during this holiday week.