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Reflections April 2012

Agelessly Yours

Ageless, But Only Through Our Own Eyes

By Karen White-Walker

Actually, he scared the hell out of me, because not even my own husband makes that request of me. But he started flexing the muscles in his arms, and they felt like they could have belonged to Sponge Bob Square Pants, they were so not firm.

How is it possible to think that everybody your same age looks so much older than yourself, but then you recognize an old grade school chum and not think they've changed one iota? Yet they certainly don't look like any six or seven year old I've ever seen. But get this, this grade school person instantly recognized me too! Isn't that exciting? Who would ever imagine that family stress, fighting with one's spouse, juggling finances so I can sneak out funds to travel, mixing work with home, taking all day now to clean the house and all night to...forget it, I get exhausted just thinking about it, could really be undiscovered beauty secrets?

Well, this former schoolmate is actually two years older than myself and was telling me about his 50th class reunion in 2009. Mine was obviously in 2011. They're predicting the end of the world in 2012, so I'm sure glad we were able to get it in so I could bask in the realization that I was the youngest looking person there. If not, God forbid, I would have wished the world had ended a year sooner. Honestly, for someone who professes to place far more importance on inner beauty, I sure waste a lot of time curling my eyelashes and straightening my hair.

"Karen, you wouldn't believe how many in my class look all faded and frail," he explained. Most of the men are bald, hunched over and very shaky on their feet. Of course, they did guzzle down a few too many, so I couldn't really tell if "

"The heck with the men," I interrupted, "what did those women look like?”

"Some had backsides that were so broad a blind man could aim buckshot and never miss his target."

"Remind me not to turn around in front of you," I nervously giggled. "But really, I always think that everybody my age looks so much fatter than myself," I confessed.

"Son-of-a-gun, if I wasn't thinking the same exact thing."

"Thank you," I demurely blushed.

"Not you, silly, I was referring to myself. Feel this!" he ordered.

I don't mind telling you, folks, that he really took me aback. Actually, he scared the hell out of me, because not even my own husband makes that request of me. But he started flexing the muscles in his arms, and they felt like they could have belonged to Sponge Bob Square Pants, they were so not firm.

"You didn't say wow!" he sadly commented.

"Sorry, I guess I'm just not a wow' kind of woman," I softly countered.

I have to wonder, do most of us not see ourselves as we really are and as others must see us? Let's face it, guys and dolls, we're just not the same people we were yesterday. Just the other day an older lady opened up the door for me at the post office and let me go first. I found out later – you guessed it -- that older lady was younger than me!

A close lawyer friend of mine told me he's shocked when clients come into his office who look years older than himself, only to discover that they're younger than he is.

"I tell you, my office staff must think I'm suffering with prostate problems the way I'm always running into the bathroom," he confided. "They don't know it's to look into the mirror for reassurance that I look a hell of a lot better than those people do."

"Why shouldn't you look younger?" I flippantly reminded him. "It's very stressful, draining and expensive for your clients to seek legal help. Admit it, you're probably making millions off of their misfortunes, and you should be ashamed of yourself"

Funny how he hasn't call me lately. Guess we're really not the people we used to be, both in looks and actions.

 

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