As we age, our appearance changes.

[MineralMan]

Here is a photo of a beautiful woman. Truly. Her life is clearly visible, and her beauty remains. May we all grow and age well. In the meantime, let us honor the aged ones among us, for we will be in their place one day, if we are lucky.

[seabeyond]

2. all those lines on her face is a map of her journey...? i haev always found the older face

fascinating. even as a young child...

it is easy for me to see the beauty

[MineralMan]

5. Yes. Anyone can see

the beauty in an old person if they look for it. If you do something that makes the person smile, it is there, even if age has brought pain or sadness. But, you have to first see the old person as a person. Only then will you see it.

[ismnotwasm]

9. Lines, scars----all those things tell a story

I was a bit of a badass in my youth-- it still shows a little. I have a long thin scar on the back of my upper arm that looks like a knife slash. When I'm talking or teaching about patient care, I'll show that scar I'll say "see that? Looks like a knife wound doesn't it? Eyes get big-----


"Nope" I say, this was a scratch that got infected from a fungal toenail received from a very confused patient we were trying clean up, she was fighting. (Then I get the obligatory "EW's)

I use that scar as a teaching tool.

[seabeyond]

14. lol. and yes. scars also. you betcha. as MM says, gotta see the old as a person first.

really is all the difference

well hell, with just about everyone. see the person first.

[roguevalley]

42. it has always come to me that inside that face is a child, a teen, a

young woman, a mature woman and now her. they are all there. it is so wonderful.

I don't mind aging. It beats the alternative.

[HappyMe]

3. k&r

[slackmaster]

4. Good post, MineralMan, and I concur that she is beautiful.

The serene facial expression and clear eyes make her look strong and confident. That's beautiful.

My cold reading tells me she's intelligent and quite capable of a bright smile or laughter.

[MineralMan]

6. When I see that photo, I hear her thinking,

"What do you bring with you?" If it is a smile, then she'll give it back, and you will be able to keep it, too.

[slackmaster]

7. I lost a friend to mental illness early this year. She looked horrible at the end because she...

...had lost the ability to smile and to laugh. There was nothing but fear and terror in her eyes at the end. It was very frustrating for me because I knew there was nothing I could do to help her.

[MineralMan]

10. That's tragic. I'm so sorry for your friend.

[Whovian]

12. I'm seeing that every day now in my Mother.

She had a stroke and it has been a roller coaster since then.

[slackmaster]

13. Whovain, I'm very sorry to learn that.

I know we have our differences of opinion here, but you have my sincere sympathy.

[Whovian]

15. Yes we do and I enjoy them.

And your sympathy is appreciated. Thank you.

[NCTraveler]

8. K&R nt

[Gregorian]

11. Amy Winehouse at 30

[Javaman]

16. That is a remarkable face.

I would love to draw it.

[sasha031]

17. beautiful post & pic Mineral Man

you can feel all the joys, disappointments & life experience with this image,
the circle of life

[graywarrior]

18. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[erinlough]

19. Funny story at the mall yesterday...

I went in to pick up a gift card and while walking out one of the kiosk workers who push nail care products and moisturizers approached me. She said, "mam would you be interested if I told you I could remove those wrinkles on your forehead in 60 seconds?" I smiled and told her that I liked my wrinkles, they are a sign to me that I've lived my life. She honestly looked puzzled and left her script for a moment and said,"really?" I assured her I meant it, thanked her, and walked off arm and arm with my husband. I didn't look back, but I think I would have seen a very puzzled face. The cult of youth is very funny. Might as well make peace with aging, we all get there hopefully.

[Johnny Noshoes]

24. I always say...

I always say that I earned every grey hair and every line on my 58 year old face. It has been an interesting journey so far and I look forward to as many "miles " that are left for me to travel. So many sunrises and sunsets yet to see, so much good music and laughter left to hear and yeah so many tears and sorrows too.

[BainsBane]

20. What a fantastic post

Thank you!

[RedCloud]

21. We stay the same!

Learn the truth about alternate universes!

[eShirl]

22. Your post reminds me of the protagonist in "Stranger in a Strange Land."

[Uncle Joe]

23. Yes, she is beautiful.

Thanks for the thread, MineralMan.

[Raster]

25. Wonderful, wonderful post. Thank you.

All of these lines across my face
Tell you the story of who I am
So many stories of where I've been
And how I got to where I am
But these stories don't mean anything
When you've got no one to tell them to
It's true, I was made for you

BRANDI CARLILE - from THE STORY lyrics

[loyalsister]

26. My nephew asked my grandma

"What are those stripes on your face?"
Maybe decorations to forever celebrate wisdom...

[Auntie Bush]

40. My son asked my husband's aunt why she had all those wrinkles all over her face.

A very embarrassing moment! The difference is...I think the devil gave her every one of those lines for doing his work. She was a mean one...a Grinch type person!

[Chorophyll]

27. K&R. nt

[malaise]

28. Wow!

Beautiful. I love folks who are comfortable with aging.

[ReRe]

29. "Hello in there? Hello?" (beautiful song by John Prine)

K&R

"Yes we do, but that little girl/boy or young woman/man is still in there. If you look straight into our eyes, smile and pat our hand, we smile back. And we have a gazillion stories to tell. About George McGovern & politics in general, perseverance, having babies, making-do with little to nothing, when we lived in Istanbul or London, what WWII was like, about where we were when JFK died and how we reacted to the news, etc., etc., etc. You literally make our day when you show kindness and ask us questions. We were young once, just like you. Please don't forget us...we have so much to share. Our lives are flashing before our eyes."

[Liberal_in_LA]

30. k&r

[Milliesmom]

31. Sad

Really sad that all the people that have the fillers and plastic surgery done to their faces will never know the true meaning of beauty. It is within and shines through into your face and body. Try as they may to keep their phyical beauty they need to look within to find their true beauty.

[Autumn]

32. I've been keeping a distance from DU, except for a

check in here and there. I come to log in and this is the first post I see. What a wonderful change and a surprise to see such a beautiful post. Wonderful, and thank you.

[MineralMan]

34. Thanks so much!

I'll try to post more positive OPs.

[cherish44]

33. Beauty doesn't fade; it just changes form

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

35. I guess you are a young man...

I see my every day. It's my love!
My life, my only.

I see....

Knowledge, beyond what most have.

Love, forgotten and remembered.

Wisdom, not taken. Please come again!

Youth, wasted. But learned from.

My lines, my wrinkles, that are my life, as you are.

See my stories, my poems, my art, my beauty.

I .......

Sense the wind on my face, chilling my bones.

Feel the breeze blowing, warming my soul.

All this I need to share with you, all my life.

You that have no time for the little things in life.

Look, See, feel, smell.

The path of my lines are the path that we follow,
Joy, Hope, Happiness,..... the future.

If you are not afraid of me, follow me.

Love me, make me laugh, light up my eyes.

I love you, can't you see?

You are my one, my life , my only, my love !

[MineralMan]

37. Well, there's a young man living in my 67 year old body.

Sometimes he's 10 years old, and sometimes 16. He can be in his 20s or 30s, or any age. He's always there, though.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

39. 67 !!!!, you youngster!

We do live the age we think. I always think of myself as 34.
Really don't know why, must of been a good year.

thanks for posting this.

[peacebird]

36. Wonderful post MineralMan!

[riderinthestorm]

38. There were many comments on the David Petraeus threads that his wife was "matronly"

ie OLD, so that would "explain" why he might cheat....



When questioned, those comments were all rationalized as being from "Europeans". But in my experience, being a senior citizen and having lines, wrinkles, and gray hair in Europe means the person gets even MORE respect.

Thanks MineralMan. For women especially, the blatant age-ism about the natural appearance of our elders makes me crazy.

[PADemD]

41. Excellent book on face reading

Amazing Face Reading: An Illustrated Encyclopedia for Reading Faces [Illustrated] [Paperback] by Mac Fulfer, J.D.

http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Face-Reading-Illustrated-Encyclopedia/dp/0965593126/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1354756649&sr=1-1&keywords=mac+fulfer