Life is so weird.
I was talking to my husband the other night, trying to explain to him why there were so many searches for "Lifestyle Lift" and other "facial rejuvenation" procedures on my computer. It went a little something like this:
Him: "Why the heck are you looking at that crap?"
Me: "Duh! Look at me! I'm getting O-L-D!"
Him: "Why do you say such things? You look great to me!"
Me: "It's weird, I remember back when I was in my early 20's and my mom had these thingies, like really skinny elastic strips with squares of surgical tape at each end. She would tape one end behind her ear, stretch the elastic around behind her head, hiding it under her hair, and then tape the other end behind her other ear, creating an instant "face lift" -- and I thought she was absolutely insane, and I told her so! Now I just wish I could remember where she got the darn things!"
See? It's all about perspective.
I'm not really that shallow, vapid, or stupid of a person, I realize that being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect -- it just means you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.
And I remind myself often of the words from the great Norman Vincent Peale, "The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have."
Still...I'll be bee-boppin' through a day, feeling pretty good about myself and suddenly catch a glimpse in a big window or a mirror and think to myself, "Aw...that lady would be almost cute if she didn't have such a poochy tummy and she were young like me!" Then it hits me... Oh_ My_ Goodness! That's ME!
This is usually followed by a small anxiety attack and then taking half an hour or so assuring myself that the mirror or window is surely defective or probably being recycled from a funhouse.
*sigh* My 90 year old grandmother thinks I'm beautiful and young, though...see? Perspective...
Last night I was at the gym with my husband and my son. My son is one of the sweetest kids ever...really. I mean, of course a mom is going to say that about her son, but I have people from his work that approach me quite often to tell me how sweet he is, and his managers have told him it's rare they get phone calls about employees that aren't negative, but a little old lady recently called in with praise about him and how helpful he is.
Well, as I watched my son lifting weights last night, I had sadness in my heart because just the other day his facebook status was about his loneliness. He was recently dumped by his first love, and he's incredibly shy so it's difficult for him to make new friends.
Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw one of the regular weight room guys, but this time he was guiding a young teenage boy over to a chair at the smoothie bar. As he walked him to the seat, the boy never looked anywhere but the floor. He sat him down, and went to work out...and then I saw that the young man appeared to be locked in his own world, probably autistic... it gave me a whole new perspective on my worries of my own son.
I'm thankful for all of these daily little reminders to put things in perspective. It's so easy to get sucked into our own little world of insecurities, problems, and frustrations...but often simply taking a step back to reevaluate things can give us a fresh new sense of hope.
For now, I've promised my hubby I won't get anything on my body or face lifted, plumped, siphoned, injected, or touched up...not that we have that sort of disposable income anyway - haha! Besides, as the incredible Kahlil Gibran said, "Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart."
I plan to keep that light turned on until the day the Lord turns it off.
