My mom gets giddy everytime P&G sends me goodies from Olay. I keep the odd item for myself (hello, magic eye cream!), but I mostly give it all to her. I mean, I’m not about to start slathering myself in creams and lotions in an attempt to ward off old age. I don’t really have a beauty regime. I wear make-up once in a blue moon, and when I do I always remember to wash it off before I go to bed. Bang. Done.
Except my mom uses all of those Olay creams, and she looks darn good for her age. When we go out people often think she’s my sister. Which either means she looks young for her age, or I look like I’m pushing sixty. I think I’ll go with the former. Especially since she frequently gets mistaken as my kids mother, rather than their grandmother.
My mom is in better shape than I am. She drinks lots of water, doesn’t eat red meat. and always parks her car as far away from the door as possible to get those extra steps in. She is ageless and classy from head to toe. She doesn’t stop. She doesn’t give up. And I am often left feeling like I am left behind, running to keep up with her.
In December, Olay unveiled their Ageless program – an initiative that explores how Canadian women and their counterparts around the globe think about aging and expectations when it comes to beauty. They did a survey that revealed that most Canadian women no longer feel defined by their chronological age, and 90% believe that age will continue to become less relevant. I know my mom sure as heck isn’t held back by her age. She reminds me daily that being sixty (or eighty, or forty) is just a number, and not something that defines who you are and what you can or can not do.
She stops by my house after work and as we stand in the entranceway talking I am struck by how put together she is. Most of the time I don’t stop to look at my mom to really see her. But when I do I’m left thinking that in twenty years I can only hope I’ll have half her oomph, half her optimism and half her pizazz and style. I’m left thinking, hey maybe next time P&G sends me a jar of something from the Olay Regenerist line…. maybe I should keep it for myself. Sorry Mom.
What about you folks? What are your thoughts on aging and beauty? Are birthdays a badge to proudly display, or do you duck around the truth when it comes to telling your age? Do you feel confined by the year on your birth certificate, or is it just a number?
Just FYI, the link in the last paragraph goes to an expired contest.
Yes, it just ended at midnight. Thanks for the reminder to go in and edit this post.
yes, your mom looks really good for her age!! I am also not a big make-up wearer and hope I can age gracefully as well