Wednesday, June 13, 2012

"Age Before Beauty," Why Hide Your Age?

The other day I was waiting for a ride at the Shiloh Junction.  We all pretty much got there the same time, having picked up the same ride to there from Ofra.  Then a car came by with one place.  One of the young men started getting in, then he suddenly didn't.  He gestured that I should get in.

"Age before beauty" went through my mind.  Since I doubted that he knows enough English to understand it, I didn't say it out loud.  Everyone else waiting there was young, younger than my youngest child.  If I had been their peer, it would have had taken longer for me to find a ride home.

At times there are advantages to looking old.  I get rides in buses, too.  I don't even have to groan and stare at people.  They just get up.

I could never understand why some people go to great efforts, including surgery to look much younger.  If, at an age like mine, you look well under your age, people may demand/expect too much from you physically.  And I wouldn't get seats in buses etc.

Some may think that it's easy for me to say so, because I don't look older than my age.  I inherited good genes from my parents.  Their youthfulness was always legendary.  At my age they couldn't get senior discounts  without showing proof that they were old enough.  Nobody has ever demanded that from me.

Every age has its disadvantages and advantages.  We can't fight it, but we can enjoy it.

7 comments:

Miriam said...

Batya...right on! I too find it hard to understand why women want to be 39 forever...

Good posting!
Miriam

Rafael V. Rabinovich said...

Since I also got good genes from my youthful parents, I am mistaken for younger than my actual age, B"H. However, even if I didn't look youthful, I can't imagine letting anyone cut me open with a scalpel(under general , yet!) for beauty - nay vanity! That extreme should be reserved for only reparations of birth defects or accidents, R"L! And folks actually pay a lot of money for that?! Not me! My wrinkles are smile lines, B"H! & my hair is silver, not grey - valuable markers of a long life, B"H!

Batya said...

Miriam, I think they want to be 17.

Rafael, I agree.

Rickismom said...

Is it so strange, in a culture that adulates youth?

Batya said...

It's sad.

Maya Resnikoff said...

I think that it's a lovely sign of respect, from that young man- especially since he did sacrifice his own time as well as convenience for it. One looks one's age for a reason- and people ought to respect it. (Or maybe it's easy for me to say that, at 27.)

Batya said...

Maya, yes, age should be something to look forward to, not to hide.