Wednesday, September 5, 2007

What is your face saying?

I have a real love for children and old people. Everything else in between I'll leave to the professionals. I love talking to them, observing their habits, and sometimes just stare at them. But have you ever seen those old people (I guess I should call them elderly people for sensitivity sake... OH WELL lol *sorry grandma) But ever noticed the old people who look like they have a constant frown on their faces? Even when their facial muscles are completely relaxed they look sad or angry. I saw a man in the super market one day. He was shlepping along picking up his various produce. He had to be at least 75. I was already impressed with his motor skills, and his independence, but his face was telling me a story. The lines on his face were long, deep and depressing. The corners of his mouth were battling gravity and losing the fight. He had a river of a wrinkle flowing deep from his forehead to just between is sinatra blue eyes. He just looked tired. Even in his banter with a another shopper, his smiles were forced and painful. All I could think was, Man, what kind of life has this man lived? I think the lines of our face tell a small story of our lives. A 66 years old woman with laugh lines framing her face like parenthesis' took time to laugh over the years. And the man with a wrinked forehead like ocean waves maybe spent too much time worrying. AND even young people. My mother has an inch long valley in between her eyes. Over the years i've watched it deepen and deepen. When she squints at fine print, or is cooking over hot frying oil it appears. But mostly when she's frustrated or angry. When I see it show up, I smoothe it out with the soft side of my thumb from base to tip. She realizes and opens her eyes bright like she trying to hide it. I looked in the mirror one day and was astonished to see, the same crease I tried to erase from my mothers face has jumped onto mine. I'm 23 and have spent enough time frustrated, angry, and at times scowling to have an impression form on my face. Laugh lines are not even present. (That might be because my cheeks are too chunky) But STILL! Has my life already been so hard that it's starting to take a physical toll on my body? It's crazy...But seriously, Next time you look in the mirror, think about the story your face is telling the world. Were you a worrier? or a laugher? Frustrated? or Angry..When your eating lunch alone with a frown on your face, or having distressing thought over physics. Remember you can only hide it for so long. Your story will be told one way or another.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

I am just wondering what my face is saying. I am always either tired or extremely happy like right now in my class... Just celebrating how good Daddy is.

Anonymous said...

Now you got me staring at my face in a mirror!