"MY FUNNY VALENTINE"

003.03.2026

A few days ago, I found a writing contest online sponsored by unsealed.com. The premise was as follows:

Write a letter (or poem) to your body sharing why you are proud of it. What has it survived? How has it helped you through your toughest moments? Why does it continue to amaze you?

The submission guidelines required it to be 800 words or less.

I wrote the letter but my word count exceeded the limit. I didn't want to cut it, so I didn't submit. However, I'm happy to share my draft with you.

Dear Body Belonging to Kate,

I want to take this opportunity to write you a letter as an act of gratitude for all that you do, often without thanks or acknowledgment. While every cell inside us is a miracle, allow me to highlight a few key players.

To my feet — you keep moving me forward, regardless of what obstacles life throws in our path. Whether walking on the treadmill, pacing nervously during rehearsals, or dancing in the kitchen to the music of The Temptations, you are always there to support me.

You carry the weight of my world and push me to keep going, even when I am tired, weak, or weary. Through blisters, callouses, stubbed toes, and charley horses, you stay steady and determined to keep us upright and balanced.

Thank you for your perseverance, and for the thousands of steps you take each day. And please accept my profound apologies for the pain I’ve inflicted on you over the years by wearing shoes that hurt. Fashion has its price, and you’ve paid it many times over.

To my arms — you are always ready to embrace someone who needs it — I am grateful for your openness. You greet people with warmth, comfort loved ones, and express compassion when words fall short. You may not always be able to open a jar without help, but together, we have lifted burdens no one should carry alone. You hold tight to dreams, ambitions, and sometimes heartbreak. Thank you for never hesitating to be the first to reach out, even when it's not reciprocated.

To my heart — you keep beating regardless of how many times you've been bruised. You are resilient in the face of disappointment and pain. Each beat is a testament to endurance, to life continuing forward whether I feel ready or not. Thank you for beating on — for the joy and sorrow you weather, for the empathy you nurture, and for the courage to keep going.

To my soul — I may not be able to measure you or chart you on a scan, but I see you. Even if no one else does, I see you. You are the one who says it is never too late to become who I am meant to be. You are the source of my creativity, my hope, and my wonder, and a constant reminder to choose kindness at every opportunity. You are the spark that refuses to be extinguished. Thank you for refusing to let our dreams die quietly.

To my lungs — your work is invisible but never unimportant. You have survived more than I give you credit for. You healed after surgeons removed tumors. You persisted through multiple bouts of pleurisy, when each breath felt deliberate and earned. And you continue to fill me with air, with possibility, with life itself. You have carried sobs and laughter, gasps of surprise and sighs of relief. Thank you for reminding me that sometimes the bravest thing I can do is pause… and breathe.

And to my brain — I know your primary responsibility is always to keep me safe. You have sorted out memories, analyzed possibilities, and scanned for danger with a dedication that would humble the CIA and FBI combined. For that, I am grateful. But maybe we can take it down a notch. Every once in a while, let's put anxiety on the back burner and let joy take center stage.

I do, however, profoundly appreciate your insatiable desire to understand this complex, beautiful, strange world in which we live — and for maintaining a steady watch as captain of this Enterprise.

As I write this, I realize how often I take for granted the remarkable work you do every day. I'm sorry for the times I have been critical or impatient — for wishing you were taller, for hoping someday you'll eat a vegetable, or for not being able to navigate a long distance trip without Google Maps. I promise to show you more compassion and kindness, because you deserve to be treated well — especially by me.

Today, I celebrate you — feet, arms, heart, soul, lungs, brain, and every cell in between — for being not just my body, but for being my lifelong companion of choice.

So, here’s to us. And may the Universe continue to give us the courage to live fearlessly as we spin around the sun.

With love,

K.

this image is AI generated.