Bangs or Botox: The Beauty of Wrinkles

 

Is this catchy new phrase a way of denying “…just the facts, ma’am…”? Or is it simply a wise woman’s way of aging gracefully and embracing change with all the healthy attitude and mature outlook of say…Jacqueline Onassis meets Miley Cyrus? What’s to be done about those insidious telltale wrinkles or creases – sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical, but always dramatic in our own eyes? Whether you choose to embrace or erase wrinkles, they are 100% yours.

The underlying implications of the phrase, “Bangs, not Botox” are many. Of course, the first and most obvious is that we’re ‘there’ now. You know – “at the crossroads”. “The point of no return”. “Where the rubber meets the road”.

Why Wrinkles Are Beautiful

So…what tales do those telltale wrinkles really tell? For me, they’re a reminder of my mother. From her I inherited a don’t-even-think-about-it look that strikes cold fear into the hearts of my kids even today. (Well, not really, but you get the idea!) Klingons had nothing over on me in the parenting department – a look was worth a thousand words in my house. For that matter, when it comes to wrinkles, I could probably assign a name to each of these bad boys. The first solo walk to the corner store, the first date, teenage driving, boot camp, you name it. All the Botox in the world couldn’t erase those!

Those wrinkles are also a source of great memories. Yes, I know all about sun-damaged skin, but in the ’60’s and ’70’s, who knew! Summers were spent swimming, fishing, and laying on the beach peeking at 15-year old boys from behind my Nancy Drew books, and in later years, following my kids in the sand for miles along the Maine beach.

And time. All the daily events and emotions that make up our lives. 50+ years of stresses, joys, fears and living, love, loss and determination.

Turning 50 is indeed a milestone for both women and men. How many of us don’t pause during this time for a frank evaluation. We may suddenly look in the mirror – no matter how great we look or how little we’ve thought about it in the past – and really see those frownies for the first time.

(In the meantime, did it work? The bangs, I mean? Amazingly, yes! )

So, I think, maybe I have a decision to make. I’m a contemporary gal. I have not one bad thing to say about cosmetic surgery if it’s what you want and it makes you look and feel more vibrant. I may yet decide that I’m ready to say bye-bye to the evidence. But then…who would take my place for the Klingon stare? For now I have my choice between bangs or botox. I sure wouldn’t want the grandkids to miss out!

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