Looks are important. I hate that. It means that my lazy left eye will always preempt my efforts to “put on my best face,” “put my best foot forward,” not to mention (chuckle, chuckle) “look someone straight in the eye.” It means that my rounded tummy, crow’s feet and sagging jowls will always contradict my eager outbursts of “That’s just like totally awesome!” And, it means that my Facebook closings of “LOL” will always betray the gray-haired old lady trying to keep up in our abbreviated techno texting culture.
Looks can certainly undermine the message. They give us away in ways we would rather not disclose. I’d like to promote my well-trained, albeit phony, air of self-confidence; however, my chewed up cuticles generally give me away at the hand-shake. Bad habits, bad behavior and bad thinking are permanently stamped on our faces. Likewise, the good habits we develop, the good behavior we practice and the good thinking we follow are also imprinted on us. In other words, there’s solid reason behind both our laugh lines and our permanent scowls. We can wear disguises but these are fragile masks waiting to fall from the weight of evidence.
The good news is that, while looks are important, the degree of importance seems to diminish as we get older. This is not to suggest that people in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s are not mindful of their appearance. On the contrary, I have family members in those age groups who look great and still spend time carefully coordinating the day’s attire. They are fashionable, healthy and continue to produce a polished appearance in their clothing and hairstyles. However, as we gain life’s experiences – the joys, the sorrows – we tend to prioritize differently. What’s a lazy left eye when your sister has cancer? What’s the big deal about sagging jowls when your father faces open-heart surgery? And, what’s so offensive about chewed-up cuticles when you lose your job?
While I’m convinced that, as a general rule, looks will remain important in our society, the importance to me personally proved to be somewhat temporary. I still compare myself to others … human nature, I suppose. But, that futile exercise has been superseded by an even more futile exercise of comparing myself of today to myself of yesterday. I now wake up each day and say “What’s this? Another new wrinkle? Damn, when did that happen?” And, then I say, “Aah, who cares?”
So, while there is still a shred of interest on your part to help yourself look good, visit my website MyLooksOnline.com. We will answer your questions about your looks, whether you’re 20 years old and highly invested in the answers or 90 years old and only mildly curious what others think!
http://www.mylooksonline.com/
