It's spring--the world is young, but me, I'm feeling OLD

Younger than springtime--I'm not. A few observations noted in the harsh light of day.

All winter while I was tucked into turtlenecks and wrapped in scarves, the skin on my chest was quietly adopting that thin tissue paper look. I’m on my way to looking like a poorly wrapped package.

Looking at my neck, face, upper arms, I realize my flesh is steadily loosening its grip from my body. Collagen-wrecking gremlins are haunting my days and nights. Really, I try not to think that aging is dying in slow motion but it is. This is like Pirates of the Caribbean. I have this sense that my flesh is moving farther and farther from my bones! I fear I'll one day have to wrap myself in duct tape to keep everything where it belongs. 

When I cross my legs and my pants’ leg rides up, I get a glimpse of calves that look like frozen chicken parts—pale, plucked, purplish. Noooooo! I don’t want to look like a Perdue pinup. Where’s the smooth, poreless skin of yesterday? If I’m going to morph into an “old bag,” I’d prefer my aging skin have the lovely warm patina of a classic Coach purse.

All these changes are clearly visible to me because I’ve become a person with reading glasses perpetually perched halfway down my nose. I have multiple pairs scattered around the house, even a pair attached to a dorky neck chain. I have some with wire frames and some with plastic frames, including a pair with a square shape and Burberry plaid design. The former make me feel like a granny, the latter, chosen to be fun and hip, make me look like Woody Allen—a dirty old man. What was I thinking! GAH!

Maybe I should abandon my glasses and enjoy a softer, kinder view, a new outlook. Blur the edges a bit. Hide the imperfections by losing the details. Focus on the big picture and age (gulp) gracefully.

© 2006 Veronica McCabe Deschambault. All rights reserved.

May 23, 2006

Comments

[Arabella]

I know what you mean; I'm noticing little lines around my eyes, etc. I've battled the pasty legs for some time, and have started using the Jergens moisturizer with a little bit of self-tanner in it. It has helped a lot, and is very subtle. Do you have it in Belgium?

[V-Grrrl]

I use the Jergen's lotion too--otherwise, my legs would never see the light of day. How did Italian grrrls like us end up as women of no color? : )

[TB]

Yes, I think the self tanner is a must. I was going to recommend the same one before reading Arabella's comment. Also, I find that when I exfoliate, I feel a lot better about the state of my chicken skin.
I am sure you are a wonderfully kept woman and that the aging process is only evident to you. We are our own harshest critics.

[Lynn]

Oh my gosh, I noticed the tissue paper skin on my chest the other morning as I was getting dressed and I was so depressed!! I have finally started taking better care of my face and bought the Arbonne anti-aging system and I do notice less wrinkles on my face, but still I'd like to slow this down a bit!

[amber]

You are funny. Your pictures here on your blog show you to be a very pretty woman. We all get in ruts!

:)

[Annie]

I don't wear make up very often but I pretty much abandoned eye shadow when I realized my eye lids won't stay flat for application anymore. sigh.

[V-Grrrl]

Oh, that's one of the worst middle age moments: the first time you pull an eye shadow applicator over your eyelid and a little fold of skin gets pushed along in front of it. Hello! What happened!
: 0

[Mignon]

Aging gracefully is a state of mind, I think. You can be happy with your age, but you don't have to put up with pasty skin or crow's feet to be graceful. I recently noticed that the outline of my lips seems to have blurred so that my skin just fades into my mouth. Must buy more lip-liner.

[V-Grrrl]

That whole outline-of-the-lip fading thing is just weird. Until you mentioned it, I thought it was just me!I wear lightly tinted lip gloss to avoid dealing with my lip line (or lack of one!)

[Denice]

I cannot tell you how 6 months in this uber dry climate has create wrinkles, new ones that weren't there 6 months ago....ah the cruelty....

I am certain I will be knee deep in reading glasses soon and will not know where I can find any of the 50 pairs I have purchased....that memory loss would have nothing to do with my age though, I have done that stuff forever.

[Shirl Grrrl]

I just got back from the mirror where I had to check out my chest skin. I think that looks okay. What really bothers me is the general dropping of my face. It's like my cheek bones have gotten tired of holding up my cheeks and are letting them slide on down to my neck. I'm starting to get jowls! When I'm not smiling, there are these sad face lines on both sides of my mouth. Even when I'm expressionless, I look sad. I also have deeply etched frown lines, which make me look like I've been grumbling through my entire life. *sigh* Lynn, how much did that anti-aging system set you back and where can I get one?

[V-Grrrl]

Why do they call them "laugh lines" when they make us look perpetually depressed?

[Joanne]

And let's talk necks -- mine is starting to go all crepe-y, and I think I'm seeing the beginning of a wattle. It may not be too long before I have to overcome my aversion to turtlenecks.

[Lynn]

Shirl-grrrl, Arbonne is sold through independent consultants and I think you can find a local consultant through arbonne.com. They have it set up so that if you sign up as a consultant yourself ($35 yearly I think, with no minimums) you get a 30% discount off all products - and the first order you place you get one item free if you spend $100. I bought the cleanser, toner, eye cream day moisturizer and a salt scrub (which I LOVE for my hands and feet!), and got the really expensive night cream for free. Then you can place any subsequent orders online yourself. It's not cheap, but I think it's comparable to department store face products... And it's all botanically based!

[Angela]

I try not to think of it as getting "older," but "becoming more biologically successful with each passing day." Aging sure beats the alternative, no?

I totally agree with Mignon that aging gracefully is a state of mind, and with Teebs that we are our own harshest critics. Still, I can't help but notice the little changes that age and babymaking hath wrought on the ol' exterior. I try to put it in perspctive by remembering how needlessly harsh I was on my 21-year-old body...I'm sure that, 15 years from now, when I hit 50 and menopause is looming, I will feel similarly nostalgic for my current 35-year-old body. Dimpled butt, fine-lined forehead, de-perked boobs, 10 extra pounds and all.