While getting groceries the other day I noticed an elegant elderly lady being pushed by a much younger man. I thought to myself, if only she was younger and if only she could walk. Though her skin was smooth for her age, her gray hair held such body and curl, and her legs that rested against the rest of the chair were not that of a woman of her age. I assumed that the man pushing her was her son, but much to my amazement it was her husband. "Babes," I heard the gentleman say, " have we got everything on our list?" " Yes, love," was her reply.
I stood stunned that such a young handsome man could be attracted to such a older woman, even if she was beautiful for her age. Then I began to think of all the TV shows where people wanted to look and feel younger, all the drastic measures they went through. There was 10 Years Younger where they would give you a complete makeover, most of the time without any type of surgery. DR. 90210, where for all the pain you could stand they would suck out the fat, blow up your breast, and cut all the wrinkles from your face, and the list of shows went on and on in my mind. Maybe she could go on one of those shows I thought. As the thought went through my mind I became repulsed.
I thought of my now 87 year old grandma who I loved so dearly just as she was, wrinkles and all. I thought of the little old man who use to stand and sing so sweetly in our church, who had a million times over blessed me. I thought of my dad's mother who at one time was the picture of beauty in her youth and now as a older woman had a heart that matched her outer beauty. Why, I thought to myself are we as a culture, a society so obsessed with youth and beauty. Is it not the interior of a book that tells the story and not just the cover. Why then should we look at just the exterior of a person without seeing their heart? Have we forgotten what truly matters?
Maybe that's what is wrong with our youth, we value their looks more than we value who they are. Maybe we have been so overcome with the disease of me that we have forgotten about others and what they have to offer. All in all, this culture better wake up or we may loose a wealth of information from a generation who has paved the way for us. Our youth may become so intoxicated with themselves and a lack of respect for others that they may never be able to prosper and take on the future that is their's in a healthy and normal way.
