Comfortable in our own skin
We never imagined we would be naturist
In 2007, we had never allowed anyone to see us naked. It was not something we even considered. But all that suddenly changed one afternoon in July while traveling on vacation. At our destination, the nearby beach was nude, with most sun worshippers choosing to bare it all.
Our initial reaction was one of complete shock. We could never go au natural, what would people think seeing all our scars and imperfections? My wife has scars from three cesarean births, and I have a small penis. Surely, people would judge us and tell us to put our clothes back on.
But as we visited the beach for several days, we saw every imaginable body type. People seemed to transcend the textile narrative that dictates how we present ourselves around others. We met people who were generally friendly and accepting. We were not judged for our swimsuits. We finally decided to take the plunge and undress. The experience of being fully naked out in nature was exhilarating. We did not feel the shame we expected. We found a new freedom with our barriers removed. This was real, no facade.
I had gone naked in college with guys in my dorm, but this was outside around people I did not know. I recalled the freedoms I felt back in college. Our inhibitions were quickly removed.
We look back today and remember the time we wore clothing while at home and in social gatherings. Today, we are completely comfortable in our own bodies and find no shame in our nudity.
We are nudists.
I think a lot of people take their first steps into the world of nudism when they're on holiday away from their local area. It might seem strange that they choose to be naked in public for the first time among strangers, but if they're yet to be convinced that they want to try living naked and free a beach seems the most obvious place to try it. I've met quite a lot of nudists who tried it first like you two did. We're generally social animals, so once we get beyond those first few minutes of public nudity it should be quite easy to take the next steps and explore the nudist world further.