Aging

  I overheard a woman praying a few days ago. Some of the things that she was praying for were that she would look as she did when she was younger and that she would have no wrinkles.
  This annoyed and offended me. Part of it was because I know that this woman is in her mid thirties. How much younger does she want to look? The other part was the implication that wrinkles  and looking older are a bad thing.
  I shouldn't have felt this way. Women are constantly being told by various means that looks are Very Important and that the younger you look the better things will be for you. It's not her fault that she bought into this. It's very hard to avoid. I am amused by the fact that she once told C that she thought I was beautiful. I wonder what she would think if she knew my age.
  There is a huge double standard when it comes to men,women and aging. Sean Connery, Richard Gere, George Clooney and Patrick Stewart are all considered to be handsome. No one seems to care about that fact that all over them are over 50, some of them well over 50. You don't hear the same thing about actresses such as Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon or Judi Dench. When you hear about them it is mostly due to their roles and how well they act, not their looks. (The only exceptions I can think of are Helen Mirren who is 70 and Sophia Loren age 81.)
  This attitude makes me feel sad and sick. There are women out there who spend large sums of money for different kinds of products and cosmetic surgery to make them look younger and therefore more beautiful. There are women who wish they could afford things like Botox to make them look better. There are women who live in fear growing older and looking unattractive.
  I decided a long time ago that I was going to comfortable with my age whatever it is. I wasn't going to try to make my self look or act younger than I am. I had seen women who were trying to look much younger than their age and didn't want to be like that. I didn't want to have to worry about lines and wrinkles. I didn't want to obsess over white hair.
  Part of my reason for making this decision was reflecting on two friends of mine that had died young. I began to realize that time is a gift. Spending time trying to turn back the clock was being wasteful.  Another part is my personal belief that our bodies are gifts from God. The best thing to do is care for your body, exercise and eat as healthy as possible. Wishing for a different body and altering it surgically for only cosmetic reasons to me seems ungrateful.
  I think that this approach has served me well. I'm content and don't spend my energy on things that I can't change. I'm fortunate to have friends that are like minded. Carol, Patricia and Dana are beautiful in more than just looks.
  A quote from Marjorie Pay Hinckley sums up my attitude perfectly. "Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming, 'Wow, what a ride!'"
  I hope the woman I heard praying can some day develop this attitude.