The Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Santa ... and wrinkles. Do any of these things actually exist?
Legend has it, the Loch Ness Monster was first spotted in 565 A.D. Bigfoot's image has been captured on film multiple times. On Christmas Eve, children across the world hear jingle bells dancing over their heads. The only anomaly seems to be wrinkles—or creases, if you prefer. They are nowhere to be found!
As I look at my friends' perfectly creaseless faces, or scroll through Facebook pictures of old high school classmates who once again look 15, I wonder:
"Are wrinkles just a mythical fantasy?"
Then, I walk past a mirror and am assured of their very real existence. Yep, there they are. Right there. All over my face.
Women and men should do whatever they like to enhance their appearances. What puzzles me is how I missed this bandwagon! Was there a secret meeting of the Over 40 Club? Did everyone get together and decide to inject, plump and peel their skin on the very same day?
The smooth skin movement has left me pondering how I feel about the concept of aging gracefully. And as I think, I worry—and as I worry, I grow more wrinkles. I better think this one out, fast!
I've never had a nip, tuck or lift—though I'm not closing the door to these options. But for now, I can get away with a lot of treadmill time and a flowy sweater.
My face, on the other hand, I cannot hide.
Until recently, I've never thought about wrinkles. I'm not a fan of sunspots, but I've always looked at my "laugh lines" as happy reminders of good times. As I begin to notice everyone else's ice-skating rink skin, I wonder if I'm starting to look like a prune by comparison. And if I do, is that a bad thing?
A positive self-image breeds confidence and we are better people when we are happy.
That said, I wonder if too much of our collective confidence is rooted in our physical reflections. The fact of the matter is, we aren't 15 anymore. Our hips have grown broader, our eyelashes have grown thinner and our skin has become creased.
While pictures of me standing next to my porcelain-skinned friends may look like "before and after" demonstrations at a plastic surgeon's office, I'm O.K. with that—for now.
Each passing year provides a sense of accomplishment and it suits me just fine to have these accomplishments written all over my face.
Written by Lisa Stickler, contributing writer for West Michigan Woman. Lisa, a Michigan native who currently lives in Florida with her traveling family, is forever a West Michigander at heart.
