Yesterday I was looking in the mirror, and it suddenly occurred to me how radical it would be to honestly love my body.

I know this sounds a bit evangelical -- and I loathe evangelists, even when I agree with their ideas -- but it just really struck me. I found myself staring in shock.

I found myself imagining what it would be like if I completely loved and accepted my body, no matter what its size or shape. No matter if I gained weight or lost it. No matter whether some bits had wrinkles or sagged, as time goes on. No matter how thoroughly my hair becomes streaked with grey.

I found myself imagining what it would be liked if I loved and accepted my body no matter what. And I realized that it would mean rejecting a huge amount of our culture.

It would mean rejecting most advertising, most mainstream clothing designs, most popular definitions of what it means to be "attractive". It would mean rejecting my family's expectations of me, my neighbors' expectations, my friends' expectations, potential employers' expectations, and many doctor's expectations.

It would be socially, politically, and economically radical.

It would take an extraordinary amount of courage.

I hope to find that courage inside myself.

Because ... wow ... it would be like living in a different world.