A First Timers Story

If you have a negative self body image you most likely
think that the last thing you want to do is to attend
a nudist event. If you don't like being hand cuffed by
your own negative feelings about yourself read on. I
am here to tell you that the thing you need to do, if
you want to fling off the shackles of your body image
burden, is to attend a nudist event, as I just did for
the first time.

There are those who could never even imagine exposing
themselves to a nudist event. These people still think
in terms of, "nudist colonies." There are those who
are drawn to, and interested by nudism, but for their
own reasons never explore the concept. It's a sense of
wrongness that holds them back I believe. There are
those who are drawn to nudism, investigate it, and
participate in it, some sooner than others.

I fall into that last category. I am a fifty-four year
old, unmarried man, and I have always enjoyed being
nude. Most of my life it felt completely wrong, and
completely right at the same time. Many of you will
recognize the confusion that this causes. I have
always been a nudist, but just didn't acknowledge it,
until recently. Through the power of the Internet, and
out of curiosity, I finally located West Penn
Naturists right in my own back yard. After a little
correspondence with a member or two, via a Yahoo
group, I made the big decision. I was going to explore
the world of social nudity. The next WPN swim was
scheduled to be January 13, a wine and cheese party.

I had been reading everything I could find on the net.
I found pictures of happy nudists on beaches, boats,
and volleyball courts. All were smiling, which
surprised me a lot. Not one of them seemed horrified
by the camera or ashamed. The thing I noticed most
vividly was the total lack of sexual innuendo. Another
observation was that there were no "perfect" bodies.
Everyone had their own imperfections, and I began to
accept my own. I don't want to say flaws, though
that's the way I have always viewed them, so again
I'll say imperfections. We're all human and imperfect.

One quote I saw during my Internet searches said
something to this effect.

"If God created us in his own image, then why are so
many people so offended by the nude human body?"

Another quote that really struck home with me was to
this effect.

"When I am naked, I have been stripped of what I had.
When I am nude, I have everything God gave me, and
more."

These sayings have inspired me to view people with no
clothes very differently than I used to. Now when I
see pictures of nudists/naturists, all I see are
happy, comfortable people enjoying life with other
like minded people. They are living life unsuppressed
by clothing. For me it has been like coming across a
map to the home I always knew existed but thought I
would never find. I don't mean to be melodramatic, but
that's the way it feels for me.

I attended the January 13 swim. After going in, and a
few brief introductions, it was time to do it, time to
take my clothes off. A handful of others had already
started undressing, and people were still trickling in
the door. I had settled near where the massage
therapist was going to be doing her thing. As she set
up her table I struck up a conversation with her. She
helped to alleviate my fears by basically not even
noticing when I was standing there with nothing on.
The first ten minutes or so was a flurry of different
feelings, then they were gone. A sense of calm came
over me. There was no one staring, nobody laughing at
me, no finger pointing. After all, there were dozens
of nude people all around me. The thought went through
my head, I'm home. I was in what felt like a perfectly
natural situation. Ken's wife came over to me and
said, "How bout I take you around and introduce you to
a few of the other members?" She did, and after one
trip around the pool, and a dozen or so introductions,
I felt as natural as I ever have before.

Nudism. I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to
the upcoming spring, summer, and fall. I am
anticipating the sunshine, air and water on my skin
like I have never felt them before. I anxiously await
visiting the great outdoors with a whole new
perspective.

As I mentioned earlier, my first time was wine and
cheese night at WPN. Out of what I will call first
time jitters, I may have had a sip or two too much, so
If I was a little off, please forgive me. Those first
timers, you never know what to expect.

In short, I have discovered what I am certain will
quickly become a major lifestyle choice, and a great
addition to my life.

My name is John, I'll see you at the pool.