Having the gift of long years on this earth means that eventually our bodies will tell the story. Facial wrinkles, sagging body parts, varicose veins, liver spots, unusual moles, renegade body hair, stretch marks, cellulite, and gray hair are a natural and expected part of aging, not a reason for shame. Every human on earth has some combination on that list, and likely a few more. How you choose to manage (or not!) those things is up to you, but the invitation here is to find a kind of neutral acceptance rather than a strong emotional reaction to such bodily phenomena. You can do this by reclaiming perspective.
The more invested you become in the larger social and ecological landscape, the less likely you are to take your own aging too seriously. In a world where tragedy strikes left and right, the very experience of aging is a sheer gift; each day is one more opportunity for God to comfort and heal the world’s pain through you. The years you have on this earth really are too short for all the goodness you wish to bring. How are you using your years? Are you planting flowers, making art, engaging in activism, raising kind children, creating a more ethical workplace, or volunteering in your community? You are so much more than the lines on your face. Right here in this aging body of yours, you are creating, birthing, and building a better world.
—from Luminous: A 30-Day Journal for Accepting Your Body, Honoring Your Soul, and Finding Your Joy
by Shannon K. Evans
//Franciscan Media//