We live in a society where the images of the preservation of youth, radiance and perfection are at a peak. Through both the media and the people closest to us, looking older, and thus displaying the natural process of aging, has been misconstrued to seem taboo. They advertise products and discoveries of eternal youth, supplemented with accredited doctors and experts, testimonials and, of course, the freshest famous face out there.
There is always room for criticism when it comes to people being superficial about what beauty is. Some will say, “It’s more than skin deep,” while others will be all for cosmetic surgery to erase their physical age markers. Regardless of where you belong, beating the odds of aging is a costly and ongoing affair. The way that our bodies were created usually makes it pretty clear what age group we belong to. At birth, we have a distinctive newborn look, producing lots of adoring attention from our environment. Then there’s teenagehood – when most of the doting has probably weaned – followed by young adulthood. Eventually, if we are among the lucky ones to make it there – we will all look like senior citizens. We will have attributes, internally and externally, that signal to others that we are no longer children.
According to The Daily Mail, Kim Carillo, a 54-year-old woman who gained popularity for her extremely youthful appearance, , believes that age is about “attitude and energy.” She never had any “work” done but gives credit to her genes and her healthy lifestyle. Although she has the appearance of someone two decades her junior, her main concern and goal is not to look younger but to live exuberantly and take care of herself and her needs, which has led to her having a more youthful appearance.
Excluding physicality, certain privileges – as well as responsibilities – come with getting older. Though most people will eventually have plenty of bills to pay and people to care for at some point in their future, those expectations do not tend to be imposed until a certain level of maturity is achieved. Annemarie Colbin, who has a doctorate in interdisciplinary studies with a focus on holistic nutrition stated in an article on foodandhealing.com that “getting older is like taking a slow balloon or helicopter up into the air: as you go up, you begin to see a broader and wider panorama; you see relationships and connections between points you only as isolated close-ups.”
People tend to only be excited for particular years—the first birthday, the 10th, 13th, 16th, 18th, 21st and then people begin to feel old. Those ages have gained meaning in our culture as a result of them marking freedom, adulthood, liberation and accomplishment. “Feeling grown up” or “looking old” should not be a reason to cringe or smile on our birthdays. The fact that we can look ourselves in the mirror knowing that there were 365 days of tests, trial, happiness, sadness, boredom, and everything in between, is a gift of growth and continuously acquiring new knowledge about ourselves and the world around us. It has only been one month since I started college, but I have already gotten a taste of what it is like to be independent and see those broader perspectives. Although my experiences and opportunities for growth could have come from elsewhere, moving into a new environment and making it to this stage of my life, made it real.
If I get a wrinkle while on this life-long journey, I may not love it, but it means that I am living my life, getting wiser and, yes, older. According to an article by Alice Algie in Australian Natural Health Magazine: “Obsessing over trying to disguise, hide, prevent or remove these wrinkles would only deny yourself the memory of happy moments.” Laugh lines, like many other expressions, display emotions, and although they might not be pleasing to the eye, they are also constant reminders that joy is ubiquitous, regardless of how many candles you are blowing out.
Toni-Ann Hall,
Freshman Communication Major
