Will You Still Love Me when I'm No Longer Young & Beautiful?
I've been meaning to do a selfie for this song below for quite some time now. I thought that it would be appropriate for the 5+2 theme this week of seeking perfection. I lined up all of my face creams on the sink and hoped that they would show, too, but I had a small frame to shoot through...the doorway and the creams were mostly hidden behind it.
Here I am critically assessing myself in the mirror, taking in the lines in my skin, how I am aging. Actually and thankfully, I am aging pretty well thus far. I have grown into my skin and my comfort with myself over the years. When I was young, I remember wanting to be blond and blue eyed, wanting to look completely different than how I was made. And my cutie pie 4 year old has expressed the same desire "Mama, I want blue eyes." It's sad how easy it is to want what we don't have, what we can't have.
Michael and I have been together for going on 20 years. He was with me in my physical prime. And now we slowly age together, growing more mature in our faces and hair, longer in the tooth. I hope that he still finds me attractive when I am a crusty old crab:).
An interesting side note...the handheld mirror was my grandma's. She always had it on her dressing table and I remember watching her when I was a child, use it to fluff her curly hairdo in the back. When she passed away, I took some sentimental things of hers...this mirror, her brush, an "I LOVE YOU" mug that I had given her...the little items I remembered her using. The brush even still had her silver hair in it. And my grandpa, he loved her til the end. They were that sweet old couple that I strive to be someday.
I hope so ! Of course ! When you love, no matter the wrinkles, the white hair or the lack of hair, the changes of our bodies..... ;) you're beautiful !
I believe beauty has nothing to do with age. A beautiful person like you will always be beautiful that's for sure. Great image to go with your comment.
@mikeable Love you for saying that. Thank you, man. I remember when you started going gray and I wanted you to color your hair. We were so young. But it is so handsome now. You are aging fabulously, too. I love the mature you.
@heidihp I don't zoom in enough for them to show;-). They are mild still, but I am getting lines, creases...especially in my overexpressive forehead. Thanks, lady!
I love this shot. I love the theme. We are always seeking perfection, but what is perfection? It is all about acceptance of self. I know, it is so hard. I can relate to wanting to be blonde hair, blue eyes. I had the brown hair and eyes and the weird name, Shandy. I wanted to be Samantha, or Tiffany (can you tell when I was born!) But now I appreciate my weird name and I am learning self acceptance every day! I am 31 and I have seen signs of aging on my face, and I do have lines on my forehead due to over expression!
@dandelionmama You are gorgeous, Miss Shandy. In name, in forehead wrinkles...in your killer smile and spirit that shines through. Thank you. I don't yearn for that which I don't have anymore. I considered bleaching my hair this week for a selfie (a stupid shot!) and decided to buy a wig instead. I'd look wretched as a blonde.
Wonderful portrait.
And you are still so very young. You have a lot of "growing into yourself" ahead. I'll be 63 this month and am still growing into myself. Acceptance is always difficult - we are a lifelong work in process that never ends until that last breath that we take into true love and acceptance. I am radically accepting of self - and secretly mourning over my hips. You have it all going on already in how you think and approach life. Be bold, even bolder than you are. And when the ice ends and we can get out of the house please let's meet for coffee or tea.
I really don't think personal beauty is as much about looks as it is about presentation, but looks can be icing on the cake :-) You my dear, will always be lovely..AND iced. :-D
This is such a wonderful and sexy shot, Amanda. Aging happens to all of us and our bodies do change over the years. Funny how we are never happy with what we have. I have blue eyes and wished I had brown and am tall and wish I was shorter. We cannot change these things so we learn to love and accept them. Love your mirror, had one myself and wonder what ever happened to it and the story of your grandparents who set a wonderful example for you. It is wonderful that you are letting us into your life as you are, story writing but factual story writing. You are great at it and just as great at the photos that you take.
Oh my. Very pretty indeed, and beautiful inside as well. Linda and I got married in our 40's and a friend sang "When I'm 64" at our wedding. You know the one, "when I get older, losing my hair, many years from now...." Well, now I'm well past 64 and the hair is long gone, but Linda and I still have a love that most people never experience. We never met when we were young, so our youthful years have nothing at all to do with it. Growing old is no fun, but we are content with each other; wrinkles, aches and pains, and all.
I don't see any lines lady ;o) I have started to notice the change in my skin over the past couple of years. A colleague at work (23 years old) commented on my hands the other evening...she ain't too tactful if you know what I mean! I replied that I'm an old lady now and these things happen :o) You're looking gorgeous though. Nothing to worry about yet. Love your commentary about your Grandparents, so lovely xx
@psychographer What a punk to mention your hands. Thanks for your great comments, Lisa. I keep the camera back a bit to hide the lines. I've had forehead wrinkles since my 20s. Damn overexpressiveness!;-)
And you are still so very young. You have a lot of "growing into yourself" ahead. I'll be 63 this month and am still growing into myself. Acceptance is always difficult - we are a lifelong work in process that never ends until that last breath that we take into true love and acceptance. I am radically accepting of self - and secretly mourning over my hips. You have it all going on already in how you think and approach life. Be bold, even bolder than you are. And when the ice ends and we can get out of the house please let's meet for coffee or tea.
brilliant Amanda
@rvwalker Thanks, Ross. Love to hear about your story...so sweet.
@kali66 Aw, you are kind, Kali. Thank you!