It doesn’t matter the number of years in your life . . . .

~ Chocolaterunsjudy

. . . what matters is the life in your years

Deb Runs

Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength.
— Betty Friedan

Is ageless really a thing? Time waits for no man — or woman — after all. All you have to do is look at my gray hair! It’s Wednesday word and this week the word is ageless.

I do think, as a society, we get very hung up on age. People get so depressed at turning 30, 40, 50 & beyond. I won’t say that age has never bothered me, but turning a particular age — so far — has never bothered me. Maybe it’s because I’m the baby of my family.

So few women allow themselves to go gray. I get it, too — there are times I look in the mirror and wonder whose granny that is. Wonder what happened to that baby who got married 30 years ago (because we both looked like babies; at the very least, we looked very young).

And speaking of babies — below is a photo of me, I’m not quite sure when, but I do know we were married. Doesn’t look like I’m old enough to be married, huh? You can’t see em. but I already had a few gray hairs! And no, I didn’t straighten my hair, but I probably didn’t have the layers I have now & probably blew it dry.

Youthful 20 something
Youthful 20 something

Below is 10 years ago — our 20th anniversary trip was a cruise around the big 4 islands of HI. I was a lot heavier and a redhead. So yeah, I get it.

A redhead in HI
A redhead in HI

I have a youthful face; I always have. Except with the gray, the jowls, etc., I guess I actually look my age.

What a difference 30 years makes
What a difference 30 years makes

It’s not just gray hair, of course. It’s not completely about how we look on the outside. It’s about how we feel on the inside. There are ancient 30 years olds and youthful 80 year olds. And I do believe that healthy eating, proper rest and recovery, and activity are the real fountains of youth. They’ll keep your mind sharp and prevent your body from breaking down faster than it should (except when that activity breaks you down, of course, but we always come back better, right?).

Is being ageless really the holy grail? I earned every gray hair and every bit of saggy skin. I don’t want to be 20 again, or 30, or even 40. I’d be lying if I said there weren’t some things I’d like back from those ages — I could happily live without the batwings, the stiffness in the mornings, the double chin.

The real trick, though, is to be happy you’re still alive. Too many people die too young. My goal is to live better, for however long I can. And being active makes me feel alive. And maybe a wee bit ageless — yes, the person who finished after me at my 15k this weekend was younger. Geez, this actually seems like a totally narcissistic post!

Sharon Stone said it much better than I ever could:

This idea that being youthful is the only thing that’s beautiful or attractive simply isn’t true. I don’t want to be an ‘ageless beauty.’ I want to be a woman who is the best I can be at my age.

What do you think: ageless beauty or beautiful inside & out?

21 thoughts on “It doesn’t matter the number of years in your life . . . .”

    1. I won’t lie and say the gray doesn’t bother me, but the time involved in keeping it at bay does.

      Been there, done that, just not for me.

      I do wish gray hair wasn’t even frizzier than my normal hair, which is plenty frizzy on its own!

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      1. no time involved…just lots of money!!! Just think the money you save is paying for your racecations.

        My hair is still thick & frizzy but it was a lot thinker (& frizzier) before I got gray.

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      2. My gray is much frizzier, although my normal hair is frizzy enough.

        Coloring your hair is time consuming if you want to keep the roots at bay. I only get my hair cut every 2-3 months only because I’m lazy. In fact I’ve been putting it off as usual.

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  3. Beauty on the inside is much more important than beauty on the outside.

    We can slow down the aging process by eating healthy and being active.

    Don’t you wish we could slow down the wrinkles, thinning hair, sagging skin, etc. (without spending lots of money? LOL.

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  4. I love the Sharon Stone quote! I also really love what you said about age not solely being defined with how you look on the outside. Personally, I feel like I don’t see people just by their appearance, but by their spirit/personality. So someone who feels younger on the inside seems and looks younger to me. I’d imagine it’s that way for a lot of people.

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  5. I’ve had grey hairs for most of my life – my mom was always plucking them out of my head as a kid. Maybe something to do with being a natural redhead? Anyway, I’ve been noticing a few more lately, and I’m oddly proud of them! I think they kind of look nice and give my hair a little…more.

    Although I always want to stay young, I would agree that I wouldn’t turn back the clock. I appreciate the experiences I’ve had and the knowledge I’ve gained even at the young age of 30. I’m looking forward to what the future holds!

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  7. Although I should be a brunette, my hair is solid white. I inherited this trait from my Dad and it started turning in elementary school. If I had dark skin, I think it would be very striking…not so much on my pale skin. Age is so much more about an attitude, an outlook, than a number.

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    1. I’m very pale, too. And I inherited the gray from my dad too – but thankfully it’s still
      Mostly around my face, although since I wear my hair back a lot it looks a lot grayer than it actually is.

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