“You should get some plastic surgery done while you’re in South America” my friends said. “It’s really cheap here! Almost everyone does it, looking younger is a must.”
Beauty is a wonderful thing! It makes us feel good. But why do we feel the need to want to look younger than we are?
This question has recently popped in my mind after a conversation with a group of friends.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to look good. Who am I to judge whether this type of surgery is a bad thing or not? I believe that when we take care of ourselves, physically, mentally and spiritually, it becomes easier to keep a positive attitude towards those around us. What I don’t understand is why we base our beauty definition on looking younger? For some of us, it’s to the point where we end up getting stuck on our past. If we could, we would go back in time to our youth.
The next morning, as I was having my cup of coffee in my apartment, I couldn’t help but notice that the owner kept antiques and old collectibles. He had everything from cameras, telephones, typewriters, antique table and even sewing machines.
I sat there thinking how people put so much importance in looking younger. Meanwhile, they put a lot more value in things that are old rather than new.
Later that night, I asked the owner: Why do people collect antiques and what makes antiques so valuable?
He replied:
It’s an amazing opportunity to get connected with history and to learn about it. One gets an appreciation for history and for the people of that particular era. I have gained so much in depth knowledge of my ancestors through collecting antiques. When I hold an item that is between 50 to 100 years old in my hand, there’s an excitement that flows through me knowing that there’s so much history behind it. It’s filled with “wisdom” from the people who held it all those years.
The older the object, the more value it will have. A real antique is any object of over 100 years old, anything younger is considered to be a collectible. If an object has been refinished, touched up, repainted, it will lose its value. An antique is considered most beautiful and valuable with the changes that occurred in the aging process. Rarity will add value as well. The more original or one of its kind, the higher its value.
Beauty Redefined
I think we need to redefine beauty. If we embrace every stage of our life, allow ourselves to keep growing from our experiences, instead of evaluating our worthy on physical image, we can hold on to our beauty from the glow and radiance that comes from within. Who you are in your heart, the wisdom and knowledge acquired from living in the present moment will show and shine on your face!
We’re just as valuable as antiques in the aging process. The changes that our bodies go through as we get older are all part of our uniqueness and our authenticity. They tell the world, “I’m one of a kind! This is all the value I gained through the years.”
No surgery out there can give you that. If we accept this, we will never lose our own personal rarity, our inner and beauty. We will become priceless!
