“Losing (Emily)” by Holly Sheidenberger
Emily’s life hadn’t turned out the way she’d hoped. She was a middle-aged suburban cliché.
With each passing year she became more invisible, blending in with the other overweight moms carting the kids to Costco in a minivan.
Mundane chit-chat and idle school gossip crowded out her once-unique identity.
It was time for a change. Drastic.
She ruthlessly cleaned out the pantry. Pringle: gone. Nutter Butters: gone. Froot Loops: gone.
She stocked up on mountains of potatoes, white rice, and pasta. Plain. Simple.
Her stomach thundered, demanding to be fed. Her dreams were of pizza, cake, and cheese.
But Emily endured. And the needed change came.
As the fat melted away, so did the crushing obscurity of mediocrity.
Through sacrifice, she gained self-respect. Through self-love, she gained compassion.
Having freed herself from the prison of complacency, she’d never be hostage again.