Read these lines this morning, offered by a Facebook friend named Louise Carter that gave me a chuckle:

“Hmm, most interesting school run this morning! Dropped my youngest son at school and then walked home with my eldest Kal who is off school due to the teacher’s strike. Whilst walking holding hands with Kal, talking about how he draws such beautiful pictures, he turns and says “Mummy what are those wiggly lines on you?” I replied confused, “What do you mean,..my hair?” He looked at me and said, “No, those wiggles there,” as he pointed to the area above his eyebrows. I started to laugh realising that my son had in his own way told me I was getting old and wrinkly…lol..oh dear, have to laugh or I may cry. Time for botox maybe?!”

Oh no, Louise, and anyone else who feels that they need to erase away the well earned laugh lines that grace our faces. As a ‘seasoned woman’ who just turned 53, I embrace the crinkles that appear when I smile, have allowed my hair to go natural; now a wee bit salt and pepper. The wisdom that accompanies them, is well worth it. Part of my view of this emerged in childhood, since I come from a large, extended family. My maternal grandmother was one of 13 children, so there were always aunts, uncles and cousins around. I watched my grandparents’ and parents’ generation age. Some bought into the myth that as you get older, you deteriorate. Others, like my parents (bless them big time for this!), remained vibrant and vital into their middle 80’s. My dad Moish,  worked in a gym for many years after official retirement, and then when Parkinsons kicked in, he kicked it back by continuing to work out in the gym and then at home; having 6 pack abs into his late 70’s. My mom taught water aerobics and senior stretch classes, called Stretching With Selma.  I inherited their belief that age is simply a number. Attitude is everything.

My friend Jim Donovan wrote a wonderful book, called Don’t Let An Old Person Move Into Your Body which offers ideas for living full out regardless of chronological age. Rabbi Zalman Schacter Shalomi speaks of the concept ‘From Age-ing to Sage-ing’ and Ram Dass offers his take on Conscious Aging.

So as you gaze into your mirror today, take a moment to honor and appreciate every one of those lines on your beautiful face.

You’re Aging Well by Dar Williams

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uIAVpM-D_A 

Ram Dass on Conscious Aging

vimeo.com/2843759

Reb Zalman

Jim Donovan

www.jimdonovan.com