Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Joan (Aging)

It blows my mind that our seniors’ stories cover the full spectrum of life – romance, friendship, silly pranks, you name it. When you read them, you don’t realize the person talking happens to be older, and when you do, you’re like, Hey, that’s kind of cool. Maybe you didn’t expect it. Maybe it changes something about what you think about older people, in a super subtle way.

 And then, sometimes, our seniors choose to take on a special topic: aging. And maybe at first you don’t realize the person talking happens to be older in this case either. And when you do, there is something so liberating and empowering about it, don’t you think? Liberating for the senior speaking out loud, and empowering for the rest of us listening, wondering how it will be like when one day we will get there too.

Joan Bunting
4.12.2012
Aging

Why do most people fear aging?  As they draw closer to the age of forty, they seem to panic.  They start dying their hair and do other things to make them look younger.  There’s nothing wrong with wanting to look good and most of all presentable.  Also, there’s nothing wrong with applying a little lipstick, getting a new hairstyle, etc.  Why do they almost panic when they see one or two gray hairs?

I find getting older interesting and sometimes a bit funny.  Interesting because it seems like almost every day there’s a new pain in a different part of your body.  It’s funny because personally, I laugh and I say “Where did this pain come from?”

You know God made us all exactly the way He wanted us to look.  White hair symbolizes wisdom.  Whatever age you are, thank God that He allowed you to make it thus far.

I saw my first 2 white hairs at age 25, but I never considered once to dye it, as they began to come in rapidly.