Skin.

I love the way life leaves its mark on our bodies.

Every laugh and smile etched in the crinkles around your eyes and mouth;
Those tan-lines the time you forgot about sunscreen
Because you were so hell-bent on reaching that mountain peak
Or when you just became lost in the gentle lap of waves at the shore;
The scars you got skateboarding in the park at summer dusk
Or when life became pain and it was your only release.

Our bodies are a record of our memories and experiences
They are our travel journals and emotional diaries
Our delicate armour to the elements.

And no matter its colour, its stature, if it's not quite intact
If you sometimes think it takes up too much space, or if it has pointy corners
Your body is the vessel for your soul, and every wonderful facet of who you are
Sparkles from the surface of your skin.
Skin that may grow to be wrinkled, tanned, scarred, well lived-in
Although not always embraced by you the way that others embrace it.

But do.

Take the time to explore the shell that holds you together
Run your fingertips along those memories
Absorb it all with your hands and love it dearly.

After all, it's all for you.