Reflection on my Appearance

So, I have been reminded a lot recently about my weight...or the apparent lack of any. This reminded me of an incident I had as a missionary a few years ago. Mind you, I was living in Colorado and not some bizarre exotic locale where they eat bugs or something. I had been getting increasingly ill due to a number of issues such as my clinical depression as well as undiagnosed stomach difficulties. Needless to say, my appetite had been dropping like a bowling ball, and it wasn't pretty. In a matter of maybe two months, I went from weighing 138lbs (my highest recorded weight on my mission) to weighing 118lbs. At the time of my illnesses, I was serving as a companion to two other missionaries simultaneously, Elder A and Elder B. Surprisingly, in keeping them anonymous, I notice that their last names really did start with A and B...How ironical. Anyway, I had been serving with Elder B for a few months when we "inherited" Elder A, a missionary who was with us for two weeks before he was to go home (he was leaving a month early to return to BYU for summer term). So, after the two weeks were up, Elder A's father (Brother A) came to pick him up and go home. Elder A introduced him to me and Elder B. Brother A took one look at me and said, "You look like a meth addict." That was a pretty good indication that I was in bad shape. I've seen pictures of meth addicts, and it's not a pretty sight. It was somewhat of a wake-up call for me because I had only seen the subtle changes in my appearance and was not aware of just how drastic the end result was. About two weeks after this exchange, I was sent home from my mission on medical leave. All in all, I would say that I have never been as ill since then, which is good. However, I am constantly reminded of my inability to retain weight. One of my friends, BJ, has nicknamed me "Emaciated". It's fitting. It also makes me laugh.

It's true that I don't really take care of myself physically. To me, grocery shopping means soda, chocolate, and laundry money. No fruit/vegetables, no meats and cheeses. Just chocolate and soda. No wonder I have been required by my friends to take a multi-vitamin. Oh well. The point is, I have often been concerned about my weight, trying to avoid another crash like my first one. So far, so good. And for that I am pleased.