Growing Old with Grace and Dignity
So many people today have become terrified of aging and looking older. We see an abundance of this with celebrities, both men and women, who feel they will not be accepted if they do not look youthful. Unfortunately what they fail to recognize is everyone knows how old they really are. We also have seen what happens when plastic surgery has gone too far and how unattractive it can be. It has the opposite effect of what they were looking for, and can cause much heartache.
When did we become so afraid of growing older, and lose the ability to do so with grace and dignity? Some of the most beautiful people I have seen (celebrities and otherwise) are those who have chosen to grow old gracefully. The wisdom in their eyes, and the wrinkles around the eyes and mouth as they smile are absolutely beautiful. These are the things that show who we are and come from a life filled with both joy and sorrow. A face with no lines can tell no story.
I have gone far beyond 50 and 60 is closer than I like to admit. Like everyone else I too have days when I look in the mirror and see an older version of me than I expect to see, and wonder where all the time has gone. Can it be possible that so many years have passed? The lines around my eyes tell me that they have. But I choose to remember how they got there - the years raising my children and worrying about them, the financial struggles from time to time, the loss of loved ones along the way, and the terrible things I have seen happen in this world. Also contributing are the thousands of times I have laughed and smiled from the many, many good things in my life. All of these things have formed who I am and their effects are carved into my face. So I will cherish each line as I have earned every one of them, and I will remind myself every day that I choose to grow old with grace and dignity.
When did we become so afraid of growing older, and lose the ability to do so with grace and dignity? Some of the most beautiful people I have seen (celebrities and otherwise) are those who have chosen to grow old gracefully. The wisdom in their eyes, and the wrinkles around the eyes and mouth as they smile are absolutely beautiful. These are the things that show who we are and come from a life filled with both joy and sorrow. A face with no lines can tell no story.
I have gone far beyond 50 and 60 is closer than I like to admit. Like everyone else I too have days when I look in the mirror and see an older version of me than I expect to see, and wonder where all the time has gone. Can it be possible that so many years have passed? The lines around my eyes tell me that they have. But I choose to remember how they got there - the years raising my children and worrying about them, the financial struggles from time to time, the loss of loved ones along the way, and the terrible things I have seen happen in this world. Also contributing are the thousands of times I have laughed and smiled from the many, many good things in my life. All of these things have formed who I am and their effects are carved into my face. So I will cherish each line as I have earned every one of them, and I will remind myself every day that I choose to grow old with grace and dignity.
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