Growing Old Gracefully • The Beauty of Aging

Age is opportunity no less

than youth itself, though in another dress

And as the evening twilight fades away

The sky is filled by the stars invisible by the day

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another.

The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations."

~ Anais Nin

If we are to believe what advertisements, movies and music videos tell us, then the only beautiful women are those who are young, slender and flawless.

I disagree.

The "ideal" woman is not some barbie doll replica with impossibly large breasts and an equally impossibly small waist (and feet), she is a woman of any age who radiates grace and poise from within.

We don't lose our beauty as we get older, we enhance it through the experiences of life. With age comes wisdom, contentment, compassion, empathy and self awareness. These character traits shine through our outward appearance making us fascinating, intriguing and alluring.

In our mature years, we find the courage to be our authentic selves. We are no longer worried about what people think of us which helps us settle into our own unique style. Older woman are free to wear the clothes they feel most comfortable in and sport a hairstyle that makes a statement about who they are. Age brings confidence which is attractive and charming.

To be older is not to be worn out or used up, it is to be blessed with insight from experiencing all aspects of the human condition. You treasure love because you know what it is like to lose it. You treasure life because you know what death means. You treasure joy because you have experienced pain.

Beauty may be found in the first flush of youth, but true and abiding beauty is found when a woman's heart is open and she lives without apology. This transformation comes with age. Choose to embrace the fullness of years and you will light the world with the fire that is within you. You will always be beautiful if you love who you are.