Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
My Mom embraced old age, on birthdays she would proclaim stuff like, “77 is the best age so far!” with a vigorous air punch. She loved her wrinkles. Her gray hair. Scoffed at the very word, “Anti-aging.”
But as I approach 50, I’m feeling, well, anti-aging! I look in the mirror and don’t like what I see so much. My newly saggy neck. My wrinkly face, I even have deep wrinkles between my eyebrows!. And my chin’s strangely puckered- I’ve got an old-lady chin!
Yesterday I was listening to Rebbetzin Gila Levitt’s course: The Revitalizing Intimacy Formula, and she mentioned the importance of having a positive body image.
Gila suggested the following exercise: Look in a mirror and notice what you notice. Most women will focus on what they don’t like! Instead, draw your attention to what you DO like.
So I looked in the mirror, and pulled my eyes away from my neck, my wrinkles and my old-lady chin. And I looked at my smile instead. I’ve got a nice smile. My Mom would even say I have a smile that could light up a room (may that light be so bright it’ll blind people to the rest!)
I’m hoping to do this mirror exercise more often (and I hope you’ll join me) to look at the mirror and like what I see (or at the very least, to see what I like:)
I’m 51. I totally hear you. I will try looking in the mirror and seeing only the positive. I will also try this in other areas of my life as well, as I so often focus on the negative.
Thank you for your words of wisdom. 😊
When I was approaching that age and became near-sighted I felt it was a little gift from Hashem because I could not see the wrinkles clearly! I’m with you, Chana Jenny. Beauty is in the smile.
Thanks for sharing.
And there is a such a disconnect when we see our aging faces in the mirror because it’s just what’s clothing our souls in this world that is aging. Our essence, our timeless souls don’t age at all! 🙂
that makes sense, since my inside still feels strangly young!
I also relate! At 40 I’ve noticed many signs of aging that can feel strange and disconcerting. I like remembering that one of the avos (was it Yitzchak?) ASKED Hashem to create signs of aging so that the elderly can be given proper kavod. I try to look at my signs of aging as ‘distinguished’ features of a proud not-so-young-anymore Jewish woman.
I love what Bracha said that “it’s just what’s clothing our souls in this world that’s aging” versus our timeless souls.
I like that idea about the signs of aging for kavod, thanks for telling me about that
I always relate to whatever you write, and now as I’m approaching 40, I can totally relate – even though we’re in different stages! I love your approach and G-d willing going to try to do it too.
Gila is wonderful!
Her course is great for all married women.
P.S. It was Avraham who asked Hashem for aging, not Yitzchak 🙂