Beauty

Written for https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/category/what-do-you-see/

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; an old saying.

As a woman, I have seen famous people having plastic surgery because they want to stay young. Unfortunately, I think it is the doctors making money out of these doubts about a flawed appearance.

I don’t consider myself beautiful, especially by today’s standards. Am I worried? No, I am not. I have been married for nearly forty years.

It was difficult when I was young, watching film stars, but now young girls face a barrage of beautiful women on social media. Not only the lives they lead. Perfect pictures for perfect men and women. As I get older, I understand they are not.

I worry because social media has a big hold on teenagers. They scroll on their mobile phones, and many lose sleep because their lives aren’t worth writing about. In their minds, anyway.

Beauty – for me – is sharing a meal with family. Playing board games with my children and grandchildren makes me happy. It is a phone call, or celebrating our special occasions. When I look through a photo album, I smile. Our childhood selves, with scraped knees and mud on our cheeks, didn’t need mirrors, just friends.