The Snork Maiden's Eyes

When I was young I read a story in which the poor Snork Maiden, unsatisfied with her appearance, longed for beautiful eyes like the glamorous figurehead of a ship that had washed ashore. It escapes me for the moment how this was achieved, but she got her wish. Expecting a glamorous new look, she was horrified when the results were not what she expected. The obvious moral here was to be happy with who you are.

I read recently that 'society teaches women to hate their bodies'. I have found that for myself, this has now been reduced this to a simple vague dislike, with rare flashes of 'meh,not bad'.

Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but what if the beholder is gazing into a mirror? Can we not be happy with who we are?

A 1991 skirmish with Bell's Palsy took a healthy poke at what vanity I had left at the time. I was surprised to find that loved ones were ok with the fact that I looked like a freak. I had promised myself then to allow myself to age gracefully and be at peace with that. Short of a little help from Clairol, I am on track. Even this compromise was delayed until one day the mirror posed the question 'why is there pubic hair growing out of my head?'

Aging bodies are inevitable but it gets harder to look into that mirror, struck with the realization that the the person inside is no longer in synch with the appearance presented to the world.

So what to do? Race for the wrinkle cream, find some altitude and attitude in silicone implants, give your face a lift? For some this is the answer and if it gives them joy, all power to them. If you are however running around with a smooth face atop a chicken neck you're not foolin anyone, ya know. How long can you keep this up? Once your eyebrows disappear into your hairline, you are pretty much done.

Cut yourself some slack; inner happiness oozing to the surface makes a great foundation. A sparkle in your eye goes with any eyeshadow and a spring in your step tones the butt.

We do what we can, right? Eat properly, get enough sleep, and exercise. Just because you look best flat on your back, that is no reason to stay there. At the end of the day, time and gravity will win. And that is ok.