Aging . . . Gracefully?

I remember my mom plucking little facial hairs in the visor mirror while my father drove the car.

When exactly does this become a grooming necessity for women?

At nearly 39 years old, people. That's when.

All those questions without answers,
like When did you first notice gray hairs?
or the age of pre-menopausal symptom onset are becoming more significant to me.

Answers like "hmmm, I don't know, grandma always colored her hair,"
or "I haven't been off hormones, so I can't answer that," aren't so helpful.

(Sorry mom)

I've been trying to figure out if my recent facial flushing, "hot flashes" and night sweats are related to the last year in my third decade, or my on-again, off-again relationship with anti-malarial medications in 2013.
But today, there was a little

gulp

hair.

Why aren't stray eyebrows and weird facial hairs visible at home??
Why is the lighting better in the car, at a stop light, or in the bathroom at work?

I used to think all the plastic surgery and "filler" injections were creepy when obvious on celebrities . . .
Now, I see photos of people my age on Facebook and I barely recognize them.

No, really, that has happened.

And plastic surgery?
Let's get real . . .
if offered to me at a price that was right, I'd do it . . .
although I'm sure that given my medical background,
I'd throw a fat embolism or a blood clot
or both
and end up being resuscitated because of my vanity.  Lol

And while we are on the topic,
what kind of crap is it that men and women age so differently?
Men develop distinguished creases from sun exposure (Robert Redford, anyone?)
and that weathered, leathery look (John Wayne) is charming.
Look at Paul Newman, for goodness sake.

Women who get too wrinkly, on the other hand, and end up looking like chain-smoking wet sheets that have been wadded up in the washer too long and forgotten about.

Cruel, cruel reality

This is our reward for bearing children, tending homes, working long hours then returning home to work some more, caring for for our parents when they age before our children are even grown . . .

Gravity takes its toll.
Stress leaves its mark.
Bones settle and muscles turn soft.
We get shorter.
Hair loses its elasticity and tone.

Men lose muscle tone and get thin.

Really??

What joke is this?
Sure, they lose their hair and also experience some sagging, but somehow it's okay and cute.

heavy sigh

Now, don't get me wrong,
I'm not upset about aging.
In fact, I consider it an honor
and an adventure.

I am so excited for what the future holds.

I am blessed to travel this journey with my best friend,
and plan to work even harder on being healthy and a good example for my children.

(By the way, I plan to waste away and be a tiny, little thing in my elderly years so my husband can carry me around in his pocket)

I am also going to start carrying tweezers in my purse.