Monday, August 4, 2014

In The Eye Of the Beholder

Being young is wonderful -- perfect teeth, perfect hair, and a lot of other perks that go along with being young. Tight skin with a healthy glow tops flabby and out of shape in the minds of many. I was astonished when a young friend of mine told me about her normal routine after work. She was a Chinese-American who grew up in the Far East, and had a slightly different take on life than the rest of us. She, along with her brothers and sisters, gathered around their grandmother’s bed each evening and talked about their day.

“She is so beautiful,” she told me with a sense of pride. Digging in her billfold, she produced a picture and handed it to me. Her grandmother was a diminutive woman with an over-abundance of wrinkles. It wasn’t one of those things -- she is beautiful inside. My friend actually thought that her grandmother’s features were attractive. Quite a contrast between the way her family viewed the elderly, and our ‘throw away’ attitude of everyone past twenty-five when the first wrinkles appear.


In our society, we don’t need more anti-aging products. Instead, we need to adjust our attitudes and realize there are no throw away people. We have been sold on perfection and programmed to believe that anything less is a terrible plight that should be avoided at all cost. Wrinkles and stretch marks are there for a reason. They are milestones of our various struggles and victories. Beauty, in the sense of what we hold to be true in western society, is a fleeting illusion. We need to accept the reality of what nature has given to us and learn to be comfortable in our own skin.

8 comments:

Jacqueline Seewald said...

Joe,

I couldn't agree with you more! We do live in a throwaway society. So many people are materialistic and want only the newest gadget or convenience. And it is the same with people. So often the elderly are ignored or forgotten. Older people are even more valuable because they have a world of experience to offer the young.

Cindy Sample said...

Great post, Joe. You made me feel very beautiful this morning!

Joe Prentis said...

Thanks Cindy and Jacqueline!Always good to hear from you!

Nancy Means Wright said...

I agree with this 100 percent, Joe. I loathe our Hollywood-driven concept of youth=beauty which fashion stores, beauty parlors, magazines, books, cosmetic doctors all push us toward. All so ephemeral, so solipsistic. In truth, I was never "perfect" in any way even as a youth. I equate "perfect" with "bland."

Joe Prentis said...

I was in a doctor’s waiting room once and the only thing I had to read was a Seventeen Magazine. One of the articles told how to get a boyfriend. The 10 points were what I call lying -- pretending to be interested in sports, cars, etc. Lots of grooming tips and how to handle your parents. A whole section on developing a smile in front of your mirror. In short, a manual on how to be phony. We should all look as good, be as good, as we can, but there is a lot to say about being ourselves.

Betty Gordon said...

Joe, a good blog that everyone should read.

Nikki said...

You are so right, Joe. Reaching old age is an accomplishment to be proud of.

Joe Prentis said...

. . . and even more proud if we put our shoulder and push a little on our way through life. Thanks for the comment, Nikki!