HOW TO BE A BEAUTIFUL OLDER WOMAN

The world has lured us all into the seductive beauty trap.  Don't get me wrong, I sometimes find myself falling headfirst into the consumption driven quest for beauty.  I have rubbed enough lotion and spread enough serum on this aging vessel to fill an ocean.  And then there is the long laundry list of exercise programs, supplements, and services I have tried.  It is as if my brain knows Mother Nature wins, but my spirit is not willing to accept the reflection in the mirror.  It is a frustrating and fruitless search for the fountain of youth that men over the ages have wandered the world in search of.  Ponce de Leon is more famous for his search for the fountain of youth than the discovery of Florida.  That search took a disastrous turn when he was killed by the effects from a poisonous arrow shot by a furious native.  Perhaps the natives were not enthusiastic about sharing their fountain~reminiscent of women and their beauty secrets.


This aging thing is not for the faint of heart.  Today is my third surgery this year.  Thankfully the last two have been merely cataract surgeries, but all three are the direct result of the deterioration of the body which comes with time.  My body is on the downward spiral of slowly decomposing while still walking.  The truth is at the end of our final hour--the fat lady sings..


As I have thought all this over, it has occurred to me that being from a pool of average looks is a good thing.  I have never hung my identity on my looks~that would have gotten me to a dead end on Disappointment Street.  Instead humor and character have been my stronger suits which I have spent more time and energy cultivating.  If you are not known for your gorgeous face and body, it is not nearly as devastating to slowly turn into a blob.   With time even those non-tangible traits of character and humor may disappear.  Aging is not limited by who we are---it does not discriminate based upon sex or social class and crosses all boundaries with no regard for any boundaries.    We are all headed in the same direction--accept it and don't spend any time worrying about it.  Enjoy the joy of the moment.

Circling back to the subject--I began to think of the really beautiful older women I have known in my life.  None of them were necessarily physically beautiful--aesthetically pleasing.  The ravages of time were evidenced on them all.  The one common trait each of these women had was the light shining from their eyes.  We are told the eyes  are the window to the soul---they all had the most beautiful light shining when they turned their gaze upon me.  Another trait was their gentle speech~they all had voices that caused me to pause and listen intently.  Each and everyone of them spoke with love and their beautiful spirits were reflected in the tone of their conversation.  The third thing I have noticed about beautiful older women is they are not hung up on their physical reflection.  This does not say they did not take care with their appearance, but it does say they were not all consumed with the reflection in the mirror.  They were more concerned with others and their relationships and it reflected when you gazed upon them.



As we age, may we all become more concerned with not how we look when gazing in the mirror, but instead in how our demeanor reflects on those we encounter.  Being a physically beautiful woman who is alone and gazing in the mirror does not equate to being a truly beautiful woman.  Beauty is in the eye of the beholder---what is the beholder seeing when they gaze upon me or you?


3 Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. 
4 Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in eyesGod’s sight.
I Peter 3:3-4

6 comments

  1. Oh dear ... all this talk about ageing and being crinkly and decrepit has made me depressed. I try my best to be young and beautiful. Today, whilst in the shower, I rubbed "youth cream" all over my body ... and slipped and hurt myself where I shouldn't ... oh the pain!

    OK ... enough said!

    God bless.

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    1. Oh, Victor, that had to hurt!!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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  2. {{Big Smiles}}} we were discussing something similar, since I/we are on the genealogy hunt. Oh, how we all have aged, gotten fat, lost hair etc...we were also discussing the recent surgeries etc...indeed, the body breaks down, sigh. Nothing that we can do about it.

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  3. Live with great gusto in the moment and relish the joy that comes our way!
    Blessings, My Friend!

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  4. Aging is not for sissies, that's for sure, Lulu, but it can be done gracefully. Yes, I agree that the most beautiful older women (now I'm one of them) I've met through the years had that light of love in their eyes - God's love - and that's exactly what made them so extravagantly gorgeous.
    Blessings to you, and will be praying for your surgery!

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    1. Yes, I always said, "You can see Jesus in their eyes." Surgery was a huge success! Thank you!
      Blessings, My Friend!

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!