I’m so grateful to Mica Gadhia for sharing a love note to her skin tag with me, and with all of you. Learning to accept our bodies, just as they are, is community work.
If you’d love the support of this women’s circle, please send me your love note. You can always share anonymously if you wish.
Illustrator of Love Notes to My Body
Mica’s Conversation with her skin tag
“Well, hello.”
“Hi. I’m a skin tag.”
“Why are you right there on my thigh in that weird spot? There aren’t any other skin things around you. You’re like, right there, in the middle of nowhere.”
“It’s a great place to be.”
“Hunh. I’m not sure it’s a great place for you to be.”
Mica’s Musings
My first thought is about cutting the skin tag off. I saw a kit at the store that gets rid of skin tags, so maybe I’ll go that route.
In the same moment, I think about my role in producing a book about self-love for our bodies and all of its parts. Is it self-love to not want this skin tag here? Why do I not like it? Or do I not like it because the media has told me not to like it?
So I sit.
And I think and journal about the skin tag.
And because no immediate action is clear, I choose to do nothing.
We live in peace for many months.
Then, I go to the dermatologist for a full-body check-up, and I tell the doctor about my skin tag. And this person doesn’t care one way or another about the skin tag. I ask if it needs to come off and they say, “If you want.”
And then I’m back at the same place where it is I who has to make a choice about a new part of my body.
I don’t feel like I’ve had agency over my body for much of my life, but right now, it’s me and my skin tag, and we’re doing just fine. If I decide one day to get it taken off, I will have a ceremony and thank it for being such a great teacher to me. For now, the skin tag stays so we can walk through life together . . . in love with each other.
Mica’s Love Note
Dear Skin Tag,
Thank you for coming to me and being on my leg. You were unexpected, and I had difficult feelings about you in the beginning. I may have those feelings again someday. If I do, I will definitely work hard to love you and the emotions that I experience the entire time.
Know this, Skin Tag, I love you and what you’ve done for me. I love that you’re here and being a part of my life. Thank you for joining me on my grand adventure of love and acceptance. You’re a small but powerful journey mate.
Love, Me
