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Current Mood: Another monday.....heh.
Current Song: Running by Jully Black
Last week, I was again faced with my own mortality when I found three white hairs growing very close to the front of my face. Three, all in one shot. Well, actually I discovered one, and my sister discovered two others who were nesting nearby the first one.
After hyperventilating at the thought of growing old (Oh My God! I'm going to have to dye my hair for the first time in my life! I'm going to have to get wrinkle cream! Gravity will soon ensure my butt is kissing the ground!), I had to get myself together.
Luckily, as I went over to fellow blogger, Lindsey's blog, and she had a fabulous post on Paris gyms that gave me a bit of perspective on my life.
Terribly enough, we live in a society that is full of images where young means all kinds of good things. And old pretty much is akin to being some kind of discard. The lost and faded beauty of a once seductive woman who has nothing to offer the world but a set of crowsfeet when she smiles.
We don't have nearly as many people such as Helen Mirren, and Meryl Streep floating around in our media. Mind you, there is more of a move towards understanding the aging phenomenon in the media, but not nearly as much awareness as there should be. And there is a circus-y ridiculousness in trying to look young. Trying to look you best for your age is different; trying to look young is just verging on farcical.
Growing older, I realized this is probably the best I feel yet. I've always been too old for my age and never could relate to my peers. For the first time in my life, age brings me confidence and the ability to carry myself with some poise and awareness of myself. This is my plus side of aging.
I think I'm setting up on a new path here. I think getting older is great boon and can work so much in our favour as we gain the experience of the years, and pass it down to the next generation.
I'll probably report back when I get my first laugh lines :)
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Comments
02.09.10
You might as well age gracefully, because you'll be getting older whether you like it or not, (unless nature or an accident intervene to short circuit the whole process and you die young).
The biggest boon of aging are the gifts of wisdom, experience and confidence. That you've lived through things, you've gained insight into yourself and others, and that you know you'll be fine whatever happens.
There's no way to cut the process short, so you might as well enjoy the ride, no matter where it takes you, no matter how short or long the trip might be.
02.09.10
Hi Mehnaz,
Great article! I'm 51 and I think growing old is great. It gives you carte blanche to tell it like it is without fear of reprisal or judgment. I think it runs circles around the alternative and I look forward to whatever else life has to offer. Sure there is a toll on the body to a certain extent, but like any machine, its parts get a little rusty eventually. I smiled when you expressed concern about three gray hairs growing close to your face. Wait until those hairs migrate TO your face....thank god for tweezers. Ha!
02.09.10
Great post Mehnaz. I really relate. While realizing changes in my physical appearance came as a shocker for me too, it somehow got dwarfed when I thought of all the perspective I had gained. I feel it so much when I work with people younger than me or sometimes, even when I talk adult to adult with my parents on certain issues. It's a wonderful feeling.
And I completely agree with JTandom42. I stepped up my skincare and haircare regimen a few months ago, and am working out more often. Hope it works!
02.10.10
Hi All,
Thanks so much for commenting!
Rather than think of aging as a big thorn in my side, I'd rather think of the wisdom, experience and all the rest that would come along, as you all pointed out.
And like JRandom said, we might as well enjoy the ride eh?
02.12.10
Remember the quote popularized by Hunter S. Thompson:
"Old age and treachery will beat youth and skill any day of the week and twice on Sunday."
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