A random thought about aging...

Bette Davis said, "Getting older isn't for sissies".  You know, that's really true.  It sounds funny at first, because it happens to ALL of us, regardless of how we feel about it or try to fight it.  But if you think about it, it's spot on.

Aging is something we're all so afraid of, I think especially in America.  Many countries in the world hold their elders in high esteem, but we tend to obsess over and worship youth and vitality over age and wisdom. So as a society, when 'age' comes knocking, we go running and screaming in the opposite direction, frantically searching for the latest innovations and novelties that will keep us looking and feeling 'young'.  That's not very brave, is it? What we look like should not be who we are, and what we're valued for.  That's shallow and really kinda silly.  How much more courageous would it be to embrace growing older, and allow the wisdom and knowledge from our life experiences -  not to mention the love of our God living inside of us - to reflect our inner beauty and shape our countenance?  Not only in ourselves, but to accept and seek it out from others? 

How awesome would that be!?  Perhaps if we became a more inner-beauty & worth-focused society than an outward one, we could build upon one another's stregths and better appreciate and the 'now' instead of constantly fearing the future or escaping the past.  Be brave, embrace it!  It's such a simple concept, but a hard 'do', because of the state of our society.  But it's worth a try, right?!   Turning 40 this year makes me consider this a lot more heavily, as my perspective is changing as I get older.  You can't turn back the clock and you can't stop time from marching forward.  I want to be courageous and embrace my age rather than be constantly trying to wimpily run away from it! 

OK, I'll get off my soapbox now.  Just some rambling thoughts I had after watching a snippet of a talk show this morning!

(PS- I'm not really talking about wanting to look good 'for your age' or taking care of yourself.  That's different! At least if you're not obsessive about it...)