It’s easy to say that age is just a number but when faced with the reality of our reflection in the mirror, we can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness and regret. — GRACE WILLIAM
Another new year has begun. Another year older for all of us. While the young eagerly look forward to a year full of possibilities, the old wish they could slow down the merciless march of time.
It’s easy to say that age is just a number but when faced with the reality of our reflection in the mirror, we can’t help but feel a tinge of sadness and regret. Can’t we slow down time? Can’t the hours stretch a bit longer? Can’t the earth spin a little slower?
A friend remarked this morning in our chat group that it’s quite depressing for seniors to be reminded that we will be one year older, and one step closer to kicking the bucket.
It’s true Baby Boomers are looking much younger than their age these days. After all, 60 is the new 40, they say, thanks in part to cosmetic aids and medical advances.
However, there are certain parts of the body that reveal our real age, that no amount of clever cosmetic tricks will cover up for long. Let’s leave aside surgical procedures that enhance one’s physical appearance. After all, how many of us have the financial resources to go down that expensive route to looking “youthful”?
This tongue-in-cheek post is dedicated to those among us to whom “60 is the new 40” does NOT apply. We look our age, and for some, even older than our age!
Facing the hard truth
Ageing doesn’t arrive all at once. It settles gradually into different parts of the body, sometimes so subtly we barely notice. While these changes are natural and deeply individual, some areas tend to reflect age more clearly than others. This list looks at 10 body parts that often reveal how time leaves its mark.
1. Face
No prizes if you got this right. The lines on our face tell the truth – that we are no spring chicks. More like autumn turkeys if you know what I mean. The lines reveal our age just like the rings on a tree tell how long it has been around.
2. Knees and elbows
From years of wear and tear, the skin covering these joints resemble the roughness and toughness of elephant skin or alligator skin. Take your pick.
3. Skin
Like the migratory birds that fly south during the winter months, our skin goes south too. Unfortunately for us, it is a permanent southward migration. In old age, our skin loses its elasticity and literally “hangs loose”.
4. Eyes
From “dreamy eyes” to “droopy eyes”. If only we could iron out those laughter lines or “crows feet” that surface each time we laugh out loud. No wonder we seldom see older women react to jokes no matter how hilarious!
5. Neck
Now you know why older women wear scarves or opt for clothes with a high collar despite the discomfort in our hot weather. The dreaded “turkey neck” syndrome afflicts all of us, sooner or later.
Our wrinkled, gnarled hands are often a dead giveaway of our age. — Pexels
6. Hands
There is no way we can hide our wrinkled, gnarled hands. They are a dead giveaway of our age. When my grandson was four, he was fascinated by the folds on my hands and kept trying to see if he could smoothen them out!
7. Hair
Not only does our hair turn grey, silver, white, it goes into free-fall whenever we brush it. The horror of removing clumps of hair from the hair brush and from the bathroom floor. See a senior man wearing a cap, you can bet he’s hiding a bald patch.
8. Teeth
The number dwindles with advancing age. Only solution – dentures or implants. That explains why most older folks prefer soft foods, and why they avoid showing teeth when they smile.
9. Breasts
This affects women more than men. No longer firm and perky, the breasts now swing freely and resemble a certain elongated fruit – papaya. Padded bras are the cheaper alternative for those who can’t afford breast implants or dread surgery of any kind.
10. Private parts
This body part in older men spends more time hanging down than pointing up. No amount of massage or Tongkat Ali will revive it to its former glory. Fortunately, there’s the little blue pill – a life-saver for grandpas that still want some action.
Look beyond the signs of ageing
Depressing, isn’t it? We miss how we used to look. No wonder many of us avoid looking in the mirror, especially a full-length one. The years do take a toll on our body.
If we look at ourselves in the mirror when we wake up on the first day of the new year, and especially on the morning of our birthday each year, if all we see are sagging skin and greying hair or a bald patch, no wonder we feel depressed.
The secret is to switch our focus, to look beyond, or deep inside that reflection in the mirror. We will see that youthful, playful spirit still dwelling within all of us. Try it. I have, and I can tell you it works!
Growing old is natural and inevitable. So why fight it or try to reverse it? We should look at our wrinkles as life-lines of experience, and our greying hair as threads of wisdom.
Begin each day with a smile at ourselves in the mirror. Say “Hi” to that person smiling back at us. Not only does smiling make us look younger, it also brightens up our day. No need for Botox fillers or cosmetic surgery. Share that smile with the people we come into contact with during the day.
Or would we rather wake up grouchy and whining about our aches and pains, and complaining about how the world owes us our happiness? Do we want to spend the whole day spreading misery to those around us, and looking for people to wallow in self-pity with? What an utter waste of precious time! No wonder we are poor company for our friends and grandchildren!
And we wonder why young people see us as decrepit old fogies ready to crumble into dust or ashes any minute. That’s how many of us see ourselves too. Is that why we avoid looking at the mirror unless we have our make-up on? A smile works much better than cosmetics – it lifts up our face instantly and pushes back the years.
Let’s focus on our many blessings. We should be grateful we can wake up to greet each new dawn and enjoy each beautiful sunset. As is often said, growing old is a privilege denied to many. This is so true as we all know of friends who have left us way too soon.
Looking great has a lot to do with feeling great. It’s more important to remain young at heart and in spirit than looking young in appearance. A truly loving spouse or friend will see beyond the external and look deep into that beauty of soul and spirit that still reside inside all of us. We must continue to nurture that inner youthfulness and keep it forever young.
It’s really up to us, isn’t it, how we want to live each day, each year. Let’s not smile only for the camera. Let’s have a smile in our hearts too. Smile more and spread smiles as we welcome another new year.
Lily Fu is a gerontologist who advocates for seniors. She is the founder of SeniorsAloud, an online platform for seniors to connect and enjoy social activities for ageing well. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.
