Most magazines geared towards women will have titles on the front cover that address physical aspects. That is, how to feel and look better by losing weight (even while you sleep), dressing like a professional, eating anti-aging foods so we can look at least seven years younger, so forth and so on. Not to mention all the television reality shows and talk shows that find it a need to tell us that we absolutely must improve our appearance.
I don’t know if this is a worldwide trend but I do know that in the USA
Like I said before, I am not advocating we should be at home or go out looking like we just fell out of bed. Yes we do need to take care of our appearance whether we are professionals going to work, stay at home moms, or retirees. No matter what we do or what time of the day it is, we can be neatly dressed, hair combed, nails clean, etc. We do not need to obsess about the fact that we now wear a size 16 instead of a 10, or that we are twenty pounds heavier than way back when we were eighteen, or that we have a wrinkle or two or three; hey, that comes with something that is called aging. There’s another truth that we need to factor in and it is called genetics. Before we go stir crazy about our looks, study your family and understand what part of your body is purely a genetic reality.
I challenge you to ignore those magic formulas that usually make promises that are false and frustrating. What is important is that we are happy with who we are and that we lead lives that are balanced; an added bonus would be that we surround ourselves with people who lead balanced lives. A manicure and pedicure once a month are great, if you enjoy them; a haircut and styling are also good, as are moisturizers and body lotions. However, it is equally vital that we are up-to-date on local and world news, pick up a book once in a while and read, watch educational television programs, and have thought provoking conversations with our partner and friends. In addition, let’s not forget to nurture our spirituality, whether by going to church, reading the bible or daily devotionals, praying, and reading books by women and men who are bona fide scholars in the spiritual topic at hand. All of these activities are consequential in our lives. Let’s not lead lopsided lives. Let’s be at peace with ourselves.
SUPERMARKET ENCOUNTER
As I hurry up and down the supermarket aisle,
I check my list, then my watch,
Move, people, move!
I have papers to correct, dinner to cook,
clothes to wash!
Hurry, hurry, hurry,
No time to lose!
Finally I speed around the corner
of that remote last aisle.
My eyes dart, fix and stare,
My wingéd feet vacillate,
I come to a complete stop.
It's the magazine rack!
No! No! No! Don't stop!
Remember…things to do,
No time to lose!
Lose? Ahhhh!
"Lose Those Extra Pounds!"
"35 Secret Fat Burners"
"Chocolate Pie Without the Guilt!"
"Look 5 Years Younger!"
"How Strong is Your Love?"
A voice deep down inside me screams,
"Run! Run! Run!
Remember, no time to lose!"
Another voice rebukes,
"Ah, go ahead…take a look!
Whadda ya' have to lose?"
Guiltily I succumb and skim some pages,
Hopefully…skeptically…cynically.
Promises, promises, promises.
Pounds to lose, youth to gain,
Fires to light!
Help! I am lost!
As I shove my cart toward the checkout line
I mumble and grumble all the way.
Hrumph!
Young vs. mature
Svelte vs. chunky
Sexy vs. nurturing,
The battle is raging
In this image crazed world!
Age, weight, sags, libido…
When can I let go?
When can I be ME?
Damn, I should've just skipped
That treacherous last aisle!
Aunt Mildrid,
ReplyDeleteFor my English class, our final assignment was to submit some of our work publicly. We could respond to an article, blog, newspaper or any other media source we wanted. I thought I would respond to one of your blog posts because I enjoy reading them, so here is my formal response:
This is spot on. Your raising of so many accurate and realistic thoughts that go through the minds of women everywhere about body image is not only enlightening for the male population – at least to that few percent who have not yet had a significant other from whom they hear these complaints – but also reminds the female population of their ongoing thought process.
This process races through their minds whenever they see another woman – whether at the gym, at work or on television or in magazines – who has a better physique or has prettier hair or who has longer legs. Whether or not they realize it, women do this almost every time they see another woman. Comparing. Comparing body types. Comparing wardrobes. Comparing complexion and skin tone. Comparing anything and everything that is different than what we have. Admit it. We all do it. Whether we view the others as superior or inferior to us, we, as women, are always comparing ourselves to one another. Granted, this is much more of an issue for younger aged woman than it is older woman, nonetheless, the media does not help the situation. Why must magazines and television focus on how women in their fifties should look like they're in their forties when they could be writing meaningful articles and carrying out realistic interviews and documentaries about how women reach their intellectual peak when they are in their 40's and 50's?
I agree that we should not dwell on how we used to weigh 20 pounds lighter or once had the ability to run miles and mile with ease, but rather focus on how to live a healthy lifestyle with our body and abilities that we now have. If reaching the goal of being healthy entails loosing a few pounds – or many depending one's circumstance – or start on a healthful diet plan, then go for it; but don't dwell on how you used to look. As you also touched on, being “out of shape” or having gained weight is not an excuse to dress sloppily and look unpresentable. Again, it's all about going about things differently to accommodate the changes. We must be happy with who we are. We must be comfortable in our own skin. If we aren't happy with how we look – or don't look for that matter – or how we eat, do something to change it. Be the change you want to see.
How we look and our physical appearance are not the only aspects of human life that matter. Why are we constantly being told to improve our physical appearance rather than our intellectual capacity? Isn't it just as, if nor more, important to have some knowledge about local and worldwide affairs, issues and events? Or how about having read or watched educational books or programs? Do I even dare mention the idea – which is foreign to many people – of having a meaningful conversation with a good friend or family member instead of spending time focussing on ways to improve ourselves. There's so many other important things on which the media does not focus that, at times, we must be reminded of to remember that they still exist in society aside from cable television and checkout-line magazine stands. It's sad that society and the media put so much emphasis on the physical appearance on humanity that many other important aspects, such as intelligence and our God-given talents and skills, are continually being swept under the rug with personality and life experiences. We must remember that looks do not always account for everything. Similar to the comic reference in this post about the “perfect-looking” woman who cannot speak when she opens her mouth, they cannot always get us as far as we'd like to go in life.