There’s this trend floating around the social media world these days that’s had me thinking an awful lot. It’s the “How well did you age challenge?” and the idea is that you compare your first profile picture ever, which for most people lands approximately 10 years ago (give or take), with your most recent profile picture. So far I’ve only seen this turn out well for people. I suppose I just have a lot of good looking friends that get sweeter with time! Or maybe there’s a select few, ahem, like myself, who are a little too afraid to see just how big the circles under their eyes have gotten or how the good ‘ol LB’s have landed. It has been fairly entertaining and highlighted the fact that 1) styles really do change fairly drastically in ten years, 2) cameras have improved astronomically in a decade, let alone cameras we carry around in our pockets, and 3) these clever little things called filters have helped a lot of us out! I actually did go back and look at my first profile picture just for kicks, and it has been confirmed that I was once just a baby… with a social media account, nonetheless.
I’m sure it was never meant to take up this much mental capacity, but I just can’t stop coming back to the real idea behind this aging thing. It’s consumed my thoughts in so many ways. While driving the other day, my mind wandered to all of the life that has happened since that innocent little 22 year old had her picture taken, which happened to be at a Six Flags in San Antonio!!! (insert all the party emojis)
I’ve traveled to Hawaii twice with my sister and mom, but never with Matt (Matt inserted that himself for sympathy), been back to Mexico for our 10 year anniversary, graduated with another degree, birthed 5 children, watched my husband be stripped to his core and learn to walk again, buried a child, celebrated at weddings, mourned at funerals, partied on birthdays, sold a house, bought a new house, planted a church, ran a marathon, traveled some more.
But those are just the monumental moments. All the little moments that have happened include hundreds of meals shared with loved ones, tears for days, laughter late into the night, sleepless nights on repeat, more tears – tears of agony, tears of joy, empathy tears and some more for good measure. Thousands of loads of laundry, hours upon hours of reading and cleaning and dishwashing – the list of the mundane goes on and on. Life has been LIVED and it has really left me to mull over how well I’ve aged. Like really aged.
When I think about aging well I think about caring a little bit less about the not-so-important things and a little bit more about the souls around me. I think about taking a step back and choosing the perspective that looks from the outside in, instead of from the inside-in. I think about relating to people a little bit better and naturally being more patient, even, or maybe especially with adults, not just the kids. I think about listening well and learning to be empathetic. I think about appreciating the differences in other people, especially people that are far different from me. I think about engaging in an eternal perspective on a more regular basis and remembering that these days are but a vapor. I think about Moses’ plea, “teach me to number my days, that I may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12). Wisdom, it sure doesn’t come easily, but I suppose, neither have the bags under my eyes.
So cheers to aging, my friends! And here's to what we'll really look like in another 10 years!
May 2008 December 2018
