Chicken Suop for the Unsinkable Soul (II)

"Youth is a gift of nature,
Age is a work of art."

The story that goes with this quote talks about a woman who decided to go back to school at the age of 37. After years of believing she was too old, she convinced herself by list the accomplishments of multiple woman, all of whom are considered "old." For example, "Grandma Moses began a painting career at the age of seventy-six. . . . Shirley Temple Black was ambassador to Ghana at the age of forty-seven. Golda Meir in 1969 was elected prime minister of Israel. She had just turned seventy-one." So she thought if they can do it, "It's my turn."

Along with this inspirational story and quote, I began thinking about age. And, I've come to several conclusions...

1) Youth lacks experience, whereas age allows enough time for experience to shape and mold a personality. The problem I have with today's society is that people focus so much on looking and being younger than they are. You spend your whole childhood trying to prove yourself a responsible human being to your parents so that they trust you. Then by the time you reach twenty-five and are living on your own, you try to look and act young again. We're living life backwards!!! Children should just enjoy childhood while it lasts. All too soon something bad is going to happen and force them to grow up anyways. So why push growing up even sooner?

2) Then, you have these fifty-year-old women trying to look thirty (like that's ever going to happen!) instead of just appreciating the live they've led and the looks they've acquired. It's like dying your hair. Why try to change it? Most people look fine with the color they were born with. Just be happy with the body you've been given. Proper diet and exercise are the only two things that should be used to change our bodies and make them "better". Otherwise, leave them alone.

3) Age must provide extra strength. Like with the lady in the story, she finally found the courage to do something that she feared. Children always run from the things they are scared of, but how often do you see an adult fleeing from something scary (that's not life-threatening)? Take spiders, for instance. I know my mom's a little scared of them. But every time we find one in the house, she just smashes it with a paper towel or shoe, whereas I go running down the hall for help. And I always think, "Wow, she is so brave!" But I figure, one day I'll have the courage to kill the spider, too. Age is a wondrous thing.