Anna Dee Olson has built an on-line and off-line following. Many people want to know how she has overcome many obstacles growing up Amish to live the happy life she does today. Anna did change her life through small amounts of effort, faith in herself, and apply some action each day. Today Anna is an author and CEO of her on-line business. For questions or comments go to http://www.growingupamish.com
It was easier to eat than to deal with my emotions. Angry, fat and ugly were just a few of my feelings.
Why was my father telling me I was fat enough? Does that mean he likes me or hates me? At first I had no idea, but by the time I was three years old I understood that fat was not a good thing.
Being called fat is the ultimate way of demeaning another human being. Every time I heard another remark about my weight it felt as if someone had put a knife through my heart.
Why does a person of bigger size need a label? When we call someone fat; are we trying to make ourselves feel better about our own weight? Because of my experiences I will make a conscious effort to not see people for their appearance but rather for who they really are.
How does a toddler learn the meaning of fat? Should a toddler know the meaning of fat? As I grew up Amish I was considered to be fat, not overweight or obese, but simply fat. I learned this unfortunate fact when I was three years old. One might ask how this pertains to a three year old. I will share some instances where I was told I am fat which will tell you how I understood the meaning of fat.
It did not take me very long to figure out what fat meant. Within a year or so I began to realize what was really going on. My father helped me understand what fat meant. Our family always gathered at the table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. One evening as we were eating dinner I requested a second helping of food when my father said to me, “you don’t need more food, you are fat enough”. The only thing I understood from that comment was that I am not getting any more food. However, after hearing comments with the word FAT included a couple of times I realized that I was different than the rest of my siblings.
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