Inquiry #6 Growing Old
Growing up my grandmother would always get her hair died, in fact she still does. She rocks a beautiful shade of chestnut brown and she looks stunning. She would say “if I ever have to move into a care home you have to make sure they look after my hair, I don’t want any grey hair!” I would laugh and say “Ok, Grammie I can do that.” While there is nothing whatsoever wrong with dying your hair, I wonder how many of us (particularly women) are afraid of growing old, of looking old? Maybe it’s because there are so many advertisements for anti-aging cream and wrinkle reducing formula care. But what is wrong with growing old? I think its a beautiful thing to be able to grow old and say you have lived a full life. Recently I was taking a picture of the ocean and I for some friends who live abroad. When I looked at the photo I realized that I had smile lines and I thought “Wow isn’t that amazing!” You see each one of those smile lines represents a friend or a family member who has brought joy to my life. There is no beauty product that I would want to use that would reduce my little wrinkles because they represent times of laughter and belly aches from trying to catch my breath after a friend has said a good joke; they are priceless. Yes, there are unfortunate parts to growing old, like the aches and the pains that come with age, but there is so much wonderment to share with others as you build and share upon the story that is your life.
Everyday, on my way to the bus stop, I pass by a bench that is outside a retirement center. The bench is a place for the retirement community members to have a smoke and have community time with others who do the same. As their faces become familiar, I find myself wondering what are their stories, what do the years upon their faces and silver lined hair represent in the story that is their lives? Do they still worry about those darn wrinkles or have they accepted the beauty in them?
So, as we age we must remember the privilege that it is to grow up. To have those grey hairs and wrinkled faces. Not everyone gets to grow up to see the beauty in aging, so we must carry that responsibility as we do.
Photo Taken By Carlee Cleveland