I had always been proud of my body - its strength and grace

Hear, O children of movement and spirit, the voice of Misty Copeland, the dancer who rose from obscurity to the pinnacle of her art, who proclaimed: “I had always been proud of my body – its strength and grace enabled me to pursue my passions.” These words, spoken by one who carved her name into the history of ballet, are not only about dance but about the eternal bond between the body and the soul. They remind us that the body is not a burden nor a prison, but a vessel of strength, an instrument of grace, and a bridge to the fulfillment of passion.

The strength of the body is the foundation of all great endeavor. Without it, even the loftiest dreams remain unfulfilled. For Copeland, strength was not only in muscle but in endurance—the power to leap, to spin, to hold herself against gravity, and to do so again and again until the movements transcended effort and became art. Yet she reminds us also of grace, that harmony of motion which turns raw force into beauty. For strength without grace is crude, but when the two unite, they give rise to the divine, whether in the halls of dance, in the fields of battle, or in the daily labors of life.

Her words come from a place of struggle. Misty Copeland began late in the world of ballet, a realm bound by rigid traditions, expectations of body type, and narrow definitions of beauty. Yet she embraced her body, proud of its gifts rather than ashamed of its difference. Where others might have bent beneath criticism, she stood tall, saying in essence: This body, with its strength and grace, is my ally, not my enemy. Her triumph is proof that pride in one’s own vessel can overcome even the most entrenched gates of tradition.

History, too, offers echoes of this truth. Consider the tale of Milo of Croton, the ancient Greek wrestler whose bodily strength became legendary. He trained tirelessly, carrying a calf upon his shoulders each day until it grew into a bull. Through discipline, he became nearly invincible in the games. Yet his fame was not for brute force alone, but for the harmony of control and precision that accompanied it. Like Copeland, Milo’s body was his tool, his partner, his pathway to his passion. Both remind us that the body, when honored and cultivated, becomes the instrument through which greatness is achieved.

O listeners, do not despise your bodies, nor compare them endlessly to those of others. For each body, however shaped, holds within it the possibility of strength and grace. To be proud of your body is not vanity, but gratitude: gratitude for its endurance, its resilience, its ability to carry you forward into your dreams. Many neglect this truth, seeing the body only as ornament or burden. But Copeland teaches us to see it as ally, as the living tool by which passions are pursued and destinies fulfilled.

The lesson is clear: to live fully, you must honor the vessel that carries your soul. Feed it with care, train it with discipline, allow it rest when weary, and above all, let it serve your passions rather than your insecurities. Do not seek a body shaped by comparison, but a body strengthened by purpose. For when you are proud of what your body can do, rather than ashamed of what it is not, you unlock the power to transform effort into achievement, and achievement into inspiration.

Practical is this counsel: each day, give thanks for what your body allows you to do—whether to walk, to work, to create, to serve, or to dance. Strive not only for beauty but for strength; not only for endurance but for grace. Let your body be shaped by your passions, not your fears. For when body and spirit walk in harmony, you will, like Misty Copeland, find the power to pursue your path with confidence, resilience, and joy.

Thus remember her words: “Its strength and grace enabled me to pursue my passions.” Let them remind you that the body is not an obstacle but a companion. Treat it as such, honor it as such, and it will carry you beyond hardship into the fulfillment of your calling. For a strong and graceful body, united with a fiery soul, can move mountains, leap across barriers, and inspire generations.