Faith in Fay

Can we just talk about inspirational people for a second?! They’re pretty freaking awesome! They push us to want to succeed, to conquer our fears, to take on the toughest challenge with grace and strength. So yes, let’s talk about inspirational people. Specifically one woman who I had the pleasure of knowing for a few years when we worked at summer camp together: Fay.

I want to preface this by admitting that Fay and I were never very close. Camp has this magical ability to make people who’ve only spoken once or twice feel like family which is maybe why even though Fay and I were never best friends, I still felt comfortable reaching out to her, all these years later, to ask if I could write this blog about her.

When I met Fay, I didn’t know her past. I had no clue how much she had faced and conquered, how much negativity and fear she had experienced, only to spin it into a beautiful thread of light and joy. I had no idea and still I was intimidated by how cool she was. Not just how cool she was, but by how much she seemed to genuinely enjoy being alive, like every second was a new opportunity, a chance to appreciate all that we had been given, and to fight for what we had not.

I’m so grateful that Fay has had the strength to share her story on instagram. To become vulnerable and open up to thousands of people, many of whom she has presumably never met in person, in order to show how to love one’s self. It must take unimaginable amounts of courage to do what she does and I am so grateful for it because I write almost every week about what it means to cherish your body but I lose myself often. I doubt myself and regress and fall down and have trouble picking myself back up. And so does Fay, so does everyone, but it helps so much to be able to look at a woman who has learned that falling down does not mean that you have to crash, that you can fall and still fly.

It seems weird at times, having a role model who is someone I was once acquaintances with, who has most likely long forgotten the sound of my voice and my awkward walk but who still inspires me to never forget all that I am worth and all that I can be. Seeing someone be open about their failures and mistakes and just as open about their triumphs and victories is humbling and uplifting all at once.

I encourage all of you to take a look at Fay’s instagram: @faymeredith (it is also linked if you click on the image). It’s the most random and fun mixture of kick ass feminist rants, funny memes and body positivity love. We are so lucky to have people who can open themselves up to the world and exclaim: “this is my story, I am proud, I embrace it and I want everyone to do the same,” so let’s appreciate the people who do.