NPR 08-27:I Am Not My Body我，并不仅仅局限于我的躯体而存在

Instead of prizing the "ideal" physique, Lisa Sandin finds beauty in something less than perfect. She believes she is more than her body — and more than her birth defect.

I believe in mystery.
I believe in family.
I believe in being who I am.
I believe in the power of failure.
And I believe normal life is extraordinary.

This I believe. I'm Jay Allison for This I Believe. Our essay this week comes from our collaboration¹ with USA Weekend from their call-out to readers to submit statements of their core beliefs.

Lisa Sandin lives in Big Rabbits Michigan where she is raising her kids. And when she read about our project, she immediately began to write of her belief that started to develop the day she was born. Here's Lisa Sandin with her essay for This I Believe.

I believe I am not my body. Everyday we see images of perfect bodies we can never have. And we become convinced our bodies are who we are. Passing through puberty into adulthood² and now into middle age. I've wasted a lot of time lamenting³ the size of my hips⁴, the gray in my hair and the lines in my face. Finally as I approach my fifties, I believe my parents were right all along. I am not my body.

I was born in 1959 at the tail-end of the baby boom. Unfortunately, I arrived without all my body parts fully⁵ intact. My left arm is a short stub with a small hand and three fingers reminiscent of a thalidomide defect. To my good fortune, I had superb parents. They were fighters who struck "I can't" from my vocabulary and replace it with "I will find a way.". They believed the development of the mind, heart and soul determined⁶ who you are and who you will become. My body was not to be used as an excuse. Instead, it was a catalyst⁷.

My body was not neglected though, it endured surgery. It was dragged to physical therapy and to swimming and finally to Yoga. But it was not the focus of my life. I was taught to respect my body but to remember it was only a vehicle that carried the important things, my brain and soul. Moreover, I was taught that the bodies come in all shapes, colors and sizes and that everyone was struggling in some way with their physical inadequacies. Infomercials have convinced me this must be true although through adolescence⁸ I found it difficult to believe the cheerleading squad⁹ had any self-doubts.

In my alternatively formed bodies, I have learned lessons about patience, determination, frustration¹⁰ and success. This body can't play the piano or climb rock walls. But it taught all the neighborhood kids to eat with their feet, a skill it learned in the children's hospital. Eventually I learned to tie shoes, crossed the stage to pick up a college diploma, backpacked through Europe and changed my baby's diapers. Some people think I am my body and treat me with prejudice or pity. Some are just curious. It took years but I have learned to ignore the stares and just smile back. My body has taught me to respect my fellow humans, even the thin able-bodied beautiful ones. I am my words, my ideas and my actions. I am filled with love, humor, ambition and intelligence. This I believe. I am your fellow human being and, like you, I am so much more than a body.

Lisa Sandin with her essay for This I Believe. In her spare time, Sandin teaches Yoga and meditation¹¹ classes in her community. Our invitation to write for the series extends to everyone. Find out more, visit NPR.org for details and to see what more than 30,000 others have written. For This I Believe, I'm Jay Allison.

This I Believe is independently produced by Jay Allison, Dan Gediman, John Gregery and Vicky Merrick.

Support for NPR comes from Prudential Retirement¹², sponsor of this I Believe. Prudential believes every worker can achieve a more secure retirement. Prudential Retirement where beliefs matter.

Support for this I Believe comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

1 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

2 adulthood   

n.成年，成人期

参考例句：

• Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
• Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。

3 lamenting   

adj.悲伤的，悲哀的v.（为…）哀悼，痛哭，悲伤( lament的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Katydids were lamenting fall's approach. 蝈蝈儿正为秋天临近而哀鸣。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Lamenting because the papers hadn't been destroyed and the money kept. 她正在吃后悔药呢，后悔自己没有毁了那张字条，把钱昧下来！ 来自英汉文学 - 败坏赫德莱堡

4 hips   

abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的

参考例句：

• She stood with her hands on her hips. 她双手叉腰站着。
• They wiggled their hips to the sound of pop music. 他们随着流行音乐的声音摇晃着臀部。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

6 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

7 catalyst   

n.催化剂，造成变化的人或事

参考例句：

• A catalyst is a substance which speeds up a chemical reaction.催化剂是一种能加速化学反应的物质。
• The workers'demand for better conditions was a catalyst for social change.工人们要求改善工作条件促进了社会变革。

8 adolescence   

n.青春期，青少年

参考例句：

• Adolescence is the process of going from childhood to maturity.青春期是从少年到成年的过渡期。
• The film is about the trials and tribulations of adolescence.这部电影讲述了青春期的麻烦和苦恼。

9 squad   

n.班，小队，小团体；vt.把…编成班或小组

参考例句：

• The squad leader ordered the men to mark time.班长命令战士们原地踏步。
• A squad is the smallest unit in an army.班是军队的最小构成单位。

10 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

11 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

12 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。