Brenda Avadian: I’m having a hot flash!
While at my hair stylist we discussed growing older.
Why are we so afraid of aging?
Taboos in our society:
Don’t ask a woman her age.
Don’t ask a woman (or man) if s/he is using hair color.
Don’t ask about menopause or peri-menopausal hot flashes.
Why is it not taboo to be blasted with ads for Rxs to help men get and maintain an erection?
Flashback …
How would Leave it to Beaver’s June Cleaver react?
Can you imagine Ward Cleaver doing ads for ED?
How about All in the Family’s Edith Bunker’s reaction? “Oh myyyy!”
What happened to aging gracefully?
Instead of exercising, eating wholesome foods, and taking care of ourselves we give into pressures propagated by producers.
Are you as amazed by aging celebrities (Plastic Surgery Junkies) as I am when they struggle to smile with their faces stretched so tight? That’s why the ongoing coverage Hillary Clinton receives about her hair and now, make-up, is both sad and yet refreshing for us women. Sad, because we’re focused on how she looks instead of what she’s accomplishing. Refreshing because she’s at an age where she does what she wants.
During our lifetimes, we spend hours and thousands of dollars on face creams that we dab on before applying age-defying make-up. At night we remove the make-up with a cleansing cream in order to apply youth-restoring night cream. When is enough, ENOUGH?
The harder we try to look younger on the outside, the more stressed we feel on the inside, which makes us look older on the outside.
Have you noticed that people who refuse to grow up and have a good sense of humor have wrinkles that add character to their faces? Think actress Betty White and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Wouldn’t you rather spend time with someone who has FUN without worrying about how s/he looks?
Stan Hankewitz, journalist and photographer, writes: [TCV Update 9/30/2021: URL to website no longer operational]
The most famous Cuban is not Fidel Castro … The most famous Cuban is the old lady with a cigar. Click for Photo of Cuban woman with a cigar. [TCV 8/13/2023: Updated URL to Google-search images]
Life is short. I’d rather spend my time and income helping others instead of worrying about how I look.
The green beauty revolution
Some of us maintain our youth on the outside with plain unscented bar soap (for a dollar). We use a washcloth soaked in hot water to wake up our faces in the morning and to wipe off the day’s accumulated toxins at the end of the day. We apply unscented hand cream afterward and preserve our complexion while saving oodles of time and money.
I’m having a hot flash
I smile when someone asks if the beads of sweat on my brow are because of a hot flash. Why not? It’s a part of life! How fortunate that we can even talk about it openly. I sometimes sing the refrain from the musical, Menopause, “I’m having a HOT flaaaash!” People laugh and I’m able to get beyond the otherwise private physical discomfort while involving people in the public perils of aging naturally.
When will we stop chasing the external image and start looking within?
Embrace the emergence of elder hood. My white hairs are proof that I’ve lived long enough to gain some wisdom in this LIFE. I look forward to the day I get invited into a circle of sages.
We need to see with different eyes.
Beauty is fickle. Today, thin is in. Yesterday, plumpness conveyed wealth and desirability. At the turn of last century, pale skin was in. Today, despite the risk of cancer, we still like the look of a good tan.
How many celebrities feel pressured to dip out of the public light when they can’t live young forever? Plastic surgery can only do so much. How fair is this to aging celebrities when our critical public eye doesn’t grant them the dignity to age gracefully in public?
Let’s embrace aging with an authentically JOYFUL and youthful spirit. Our skin and hair will do what nature intended. Let’s enjoy by focusing on what we have instead of on what we’re losing. (Men, are you reading this?) When we try to be healthy from the inside, we’ll feel freer and more joyful while focusing on the important things in life. Who knows? You might even get “carded” as I did last year. C’mon now, really? Look at that face at the top of this article. I’m old enough to buy a nice bottle of Pinot Noir.
Brenda Avadian, MA
Age 52
Editor of The Caregiver’s Voice
Alzheimer’s / Dementia Caregiver, Expert Spokesperson, Coach, and Author
For more, click on:
Actress Candice Bergen is 65 suffered a stroke and is still thriving.
Menopause and Caregiving [12/3/2019: EZine Articles link no longer operational]
https://ezinearticles.com/?4-Steps-to-Manage-Menopause-and-Caregiving&id=7133407
