In the latest issue of WORLD magazine (Nov 15 2014), Andree Seu Peterson writes about vanity and the heart's condition in her essay, "The New Photos."
Like many magazines, WORLD includes photos of the writers with their work. In this particular issue, it was time to update after five years of the same photo. Peterson laments this fact:
"What's bothering me is that my last picture in WORLD was pretty nice because it happened to be a good day when the photographer came. My hair was uncharacteristically thick and I had not lost my right incisor yet, and the blue shirt made me look as if I had azure eyes instead of dishwater color."
I can relate to Peterson. Aging is something that sneaks up on a person like a common house cat. You know the cat is in the room, but you are still surprised when you feel him weave his way between your feet or purr behind your chair.
You knew this was coming, but still.
Every year as a teacher, I get the same mug shot as all the students. It's slightly agonizing. There is no make-up or special mirror to change what the camera records. This is who I am. This is reality. Will I obsess over the details and cringe at the inevitable signs of aging? Or will I embrace my moment in this journey - my age and all the experiences I've had - and "laugh at the days to come?" (Proverbs 31, oh yeah!)
I want to laugh.
I want to look at that mirror and smile at the woman I've become, no matter how many lines she has on her face.
And as for my photo on this blog? You'll have to decide if it's really me or not...
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