A Day Above Ground

I had a conversation this week with a woman who was traveling. We talked about hotel rooms, luggage and the challenges of getting everything you need in one bag. Her greatest challenge was that she could not travel with all her wrinkle creams. She said traveling was aging her more than anything else; between the dry air and the lack of products she felt she looked years older than she wanted.

As a culture Americans worship youth. We do everything imaginable to try to keep it, sustain it, prolong it, or reinvent it. There are creams, serums, moisturizers, processes, surgeries, and peels that claim to be able to help the bloom of youth stick around. So what is it about youth that we seem so obsessed to harness? Is it the untouched beauty, the energy, the smooth skin, or the untampered physique? Do we fear the limitations of age or the loss of everything youthfulness brings? Do we regret the mistakes that age brings, or not want to lose the simplicity that youth experiences? Maybe it is some combination of all of the above?

But youth is not just about how you look, it is about how you feel. I know people in their twenties that are tired and worn out, and people in their eighties who can’t stop making things. I know some who are already half in the grave and have not even turned fifty, and then here are those who no matter what happens, they keep on going and going and going. It’s some combination of energy, mindset, and physical ability that works together to keep us going. Some of us give up early, having been beat up by life. Others have chosen to conquer anything that stands in their way or tries to make them feel less than. Being old is a decision, which is true about youth as well. It’s all about what you think that matters most.

As you look in the mirror today, what do you think about the face that stares back at you? Do you like it, want to change it, or something in-between? Did you wake up looking forward to the day, or dread the tasks that will fill your hours? Do you want back what you had years ago, or look forward to sharing your experiences and energy with those in your world? None of us can stop the ravages of time, but we can embrace what it brings to our door each and every morning. A day above ground is a great day no matter how old you are. Remember that as you cruise through the time you have been given.