A young boy is watching his grandma at the bathroom sink, getting ready for the day. “What’s that goop you’re putting on your face, Gramma?” he says.
“Wrinkle cream,” she replies.
“Wrinkle cream?” He studies her face carefully in the mirror. “Wow – that stuff really works.”
Probably not the perspective she was hoping for. But it makes sense. From a kid’s point of view, the only people they see using wrinkle cream are people with wrinkles.
As people age, their skin tends to . . . well, ‘relax.’ In a society that’s obsessed with looking young, that’s a problem. Having wrinkles makes it obvious that we’re not as young as we used to be. So people try to get rid of the wrinkles.
If we believe that people have less value as they get older, it makes sense to try to hang on to looking young.
But what if we saw those wrinkles accurately? What if we focused on the truth about wrinkles?
Wrinkles means someone has a lifetime of experience.
It means they have stories to tell, if we’ll just listen.
It means we could avoid a lot of pain by observing the path they’ve taken, the mistakes they’ve made and the wisdom they’ve gained.
That doesn’t mean they’re always right, or that we need to do exactly what they say. It just means they’ve walked the same road we’re on, and are a little further ahead. They know the potholes and hazards they encountered, and are usually willing to point them out.
We won’t follow exactly in their footsteps, because we’re not them.
But we can learn from their journey.
Who do you know that has wrinkles? What could they bring into your life?
Pick someone. Sit with them. Look them in the eyes and listen to their heart.
And if you’re the one with wrinkles – congratulations. You have the opportunity to leave a legacy.
Cory Shaull says
Love this! When I am getting my patients ready for surgery, I love to ask them what they did before they retired, about their families, where they grew up. I like to hear about the things in their lives that brought them to where they are now in life. People are so interesting!
Mike Bechtle says
Great way to relax them before going under! When I need surgery, I’ll call you . . .
Ximena Meléndez says
Thank you for your recommendation. Today, I will look to the eyes of a woman with more years of experience than me and I will listen to her heart. 🙂
Mike Bechtle says
That’s awesome!