Say hello to my little friends
I was sitting in the car, on the phone with my dad. It was a nice day so I rolled down the windows and talked to him in the parking lot rather than try to fight traffic while chatting. The sun was bright, so I put the visor down to block it. The mirror on the visor was open so I was staring at myself while we talked. I was studying my complexion, noting the errant hairs near my eyebrows, counting the freckles that always show up on my nose in the summer. I was looking at my teeth, inspecting their cleanliness, when I noticed them. Wrinkles. Smile lines. Little creases between my nose and the corners of my mouth. Hardly noticeable, but there nonetheless.
I don’t so much mind having smile lines if that is in fact what they are. I hope it means I’ve done a lot of smiling. But I was kind of hoping the wrinkles would hold off until my 30s at least. I think what freaks me out the most is that wrinkles are permanent. I have problems with permanent.
I’ve been putting off getting my Z tattoo because I can’t decide where I want to permanently ink myself. The idea of settling in and living or working in one place “for life” makes me squirmy. I don’t even like to use permanent marker!
A wrinkle isn’t like a zit that will eventually go away. It’s not a bruise that eventually fades or a cut that eventually heals. It’s not a bad haircut that will grow out or a rash that will clear up. It’s there. Forever. That wrinkle next to my nose will be there tomorrow and next month and next year. It will be there when I’m 30 and 40 and 50 and 80. That very same wrinkle. There will be others as time goes on of course, but that wrinkle that I discovered while sitting in my car, talking on the phone, that same one will be there forever. When I’m an old lady I’ll look at the wrinkle – it will be much larger and deeper then – and remember when it first showed up, back in my 20s.
I promised myself that I would try to embrace aging as it comes, but the idea of being unable to do anything about those two little wrinkles, except watch them get more prominent, kind of makes me uncomfortable. Maybe I should name them, maybe then I’d think of them as friends who I’d like to see stick around. I can greet them in the morning and be proud as I watch them progress. Maybe I could even teach them tricks.
So what’s a good name for a wrinkle?
Miz Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 5:21 pm
Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum :D….Fred and Wilma might be fun names as well
darlene Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 5:27 pm
they are wrinkles in time
(i loved that book) … i have a few wrinkles, they came to visit when i wasn’t looking and liked my face so much they stayed and lately three grey hairs came to visit as well … i’m turning forty and people gasp in shock because they think 30 at the latest, nothing i do just blessed with really good genes … i am grateful and i kind of like the few wrinkles i have, they show life : )
Jess Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 6:02 pm
My wrinkles appeared in fine lines under my eyes (which I noticed as my undereye cover-up started to cake in them) and *gasp* crows feet. I knew they would come one day. My dad has very prominent crows feet. But I love my dad’s crow’s feet so I guess I try to embrace them instead of hate them. I knew they were coming, I just didn’t expect them so soon. I pray that that is the worst of it. We seem to have good genes. My sister is almost 40 and most people would never guess. I get ribbed about my “hot sister” even.
It is surprising how soon they appear…
willikat Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
wrinkles are a sign of a life well lived. you EARN those babies! i have a few wrinkles/fine lines myself. oh well. i figure life is too short to worry about them.
Abigail M. Schilling Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 7:53 pm
I’ve been thinking more seriously lately about getting a tattoo. The permanency thing really freaks me out, but I’m combating it with two things:
1) Getting it on my foot/ankle so it (hopefully) won’t morph as I age.
2) Counting on technology advancing such that it will be easy and inexpensive to remove it if I get tired of it
Angela Said,
June 25, 2008 @ 8:45 pm
Yeah, I have wrinkles already too… worse than yours I’m sure. They are worse when I’ve had sun, and go a little away in winter time. I say you should name them grace and faith. Grace for being allowed to live long enough to have it, and faith for being allowed to live long enough to get more.
MrsTwink Said,
June 26, 2008 @ 8:42 am
I’m with Willikat! Wrinkles (especially those from smiling) = fun life.
I wish I could come up with names but all I can think of when I think of wrinkles is how crazy and weird people look when they get botox to get rid of wrinkles.
brooke Said,
June 27, 2008 @ 9:55 am
I haven’t checked for wrinkles (you bet you ass I will when I’m done typing this) but I have had gray hair since I turned 21. Talk about something you want to hold off until later. My mom just now started to get gray hair, which is fine, she’s a grandma. But come on. I haven’t dyed my hair in awhile and it’s getting kind of bad.