Cool Honor
Tomorrow, Saturday, February 25 I will have the privilege of speaking at a place I’ve long admired. A place that promotes literacy, books, and community activities — the public library.
As a girl I loved going to the library and checking out tons of books. Story time was the highlight of many days. Libraries have come a long way. The architecture and design, the buzz, the technology, the various groups and story times, folks gathered in rooms to hear speakers such as myself, and the constant — books, the abundance of books. What a cool place. Not only do I have the honor of having my cookbook on the shelves, but in about 24 hours I’ll speak at the Cascade Park Community Library.
I was talking with my girlfriend about how excited I was about speaking at the library. I mentioned that maybe I am making to big a deal out of it. Maybe I should tone it down. But, nah she agrees I have every right to be excited. Sharing my story with the community, in hopes to motivate, inspire, promote change — in a cool place that I’ve always loved. This is a great honor. I’m going to shine, shine, shine.
Chrisetta Mosley
I am a product – and now a survivor – of childhood obesity. As a child, my family always told me that my extra weight was merely baby fat and I’d eventually grow out of it. I never did. Instead, my childhood is filled with memories of not being able to ride a bike, flattening its training wheels from being over the recommended weight, and avoiding P.E. classes by any means necessary. For years, I wore my fatness like a wounded soldier wears a Purple Heart - with pride. I owned the look. I dressed it up. I worked the room. There wasn't a skinny girl who intimidated me. I made sure my hair was laid just right. Nails polished. Outfits coordinated to the tee. Accessories to compliment every outfit. But everyone has a breaking point, and mine came in the spring of 2004 when I tipped the scale at nearly 400 pounds 388 to be exact. I was MISERABLE trapped inside of that body. I no longer wore my Purple Heart with pride. Rather, I was ashamed and frightened. Ashamed that I had allowed food to become my everything – frightened I would die because of it. Drastic times called for drastic measures... Today, I’m bound and determined to live a better, healthier, active lifestyle. I realize I’m no longer a passenger in my life, I’m the driver. I’m overcoming my inhibitions and I’m slowly but surely saying farewell to my old childhood nemesis, obesity. For once and for all, Farewell Fatso!