Recently I went to watch Rocky Balboa. The thing that struck me (apart from the lame Boxing scenes) was Sly Stallone. How he had aged. And by aged I don't mean his body (which for a 60 year old, was in excellent shape) but his face. it seemed like it was sliding downwards, and he actually looked like his mother( and, if you have seen her recently, isn't a good thing) This got me thinking about age. And our perception of it. Now Sly, famously, has Plastic Surgery, around the time of Rocky 2, and for a while he had a good run with it, but father time as caught up, as he always does. Joan Rivers is another. Now my question to you all is: What is wrong with looking your age and getting older? Now I say this as a Man who, at 39 is going bald, and has a peppering of grey hair in among my facial hair, who is not as light as he once was, and has puffy eyes, with wrinkles attached. Now for a Man, one of the most traumatic experiences can be going bald, as our hair defines us, and I won't lie, and say that I didn't/don't miss it on some days. But I came to the realization that, I couldn't get it back, and as i had been shaving my hair bald from 20, it was just less to shave :)
Now I'm not a woman, but I realize that society judges women differently in this matter than men. But I still think it looks glorious to see a grand mother with a head of gray hair, as opposed to her religiously dyeing it. But I'm told living is for the young, and it's not a world that respects the old. And on the whole they may be right. Old age is seen as something to fight off, and deny, as you'll only have a old people home too look forward to. In some society the elderly our seen as an Iconic group whose views on life are sought out and respected, and our treated with the dignity that they deserve (even through you can get some grumpy old people who always complain that it was ‘Better in my day)
I would say embrace Old Age, and treat Gray hair as crowning glory, you have earned. Either way it comes to us all.
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2 comments:
GQ ya killin me man this is soooo funny. W
"The last time we me met you were but a learner...now you are the master!" Yep ok so I reworked an borrowed the quote from a movie buty its so true.
On the train at the moment cracking up reading your blog...I'm gonna start with your Rocky mention first, to those not in the know already its not for big people. Its about as big and bloated as Sylvester Stallones botox filled face...avoid this like you would bird flu, Jade Goody and oncoming traffic.
As for ageing gracefully as a brother fortunate enough to still have hair in his late 30's Im in the camp that wants to stay looking young. I guess the physical signs you describe further remind people like me who are kinda high on life that once you start looking ready to go in your casket, you know through weight,gain, wrinkles and what not, then the count down begins in ernest. Vain I know...but honest.
@ survivor my blog can be found at www.michaelmorgan.co.uk all comments and contributions are welcome.
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