A couple of days ago I commented on a post at Who Ate My Blog?, the Internet home of a true weight loss success story. Stephen was 632 pounds in 2008, and he’s lost three hundred of them as he transformed from potato to potential. In his post on the subject of guilt,  Stephen mentioned he was to take a flight and was worried he was so fat he would be prevented from boarding the plane. It appears that fear was groundless, and now that he’s at his destination Stephen is flying even higher. According to his Twitter and Facebook feeds Stephen traveled to ask a young woman a question, and she said yes. Congratulations to the happy couple.

When Stephen posted his good news to Facebook, I commented “Could your 600 some pound former self have imagined such a thing happening?” The answer is probably “No.” Not that super obese people don’t get married or shouldn’t get married. Its that you can’t imagine happiness of any kind ever finding you when you are mired in super obesity. During the years I was 400 pounds and over I was miserable. Super obesity kills, and it first kills hope. Stephen’s engagement is one example of how a fat person’s world expands as they lose weight. My life after weight loss is a different example of the world getting bigger. And I’m as thrilled for Stephen, and for any super obese person who escapes their former prison, as I am for myself.