Matriarch Beauty

Between the age of 20 years old and becoming a matriarch, some pretty significant changes take place. At 20 we probably all wanted to look a little older so that we would be taken seriously in our work and relationships. We wanted to be more than our teenaged selves. Now, as matriarchs, we want to look our age or younger. More importantly - we want to look and feel healthy. We want to have the stamina and energy to do what we want during the matriarch years of lives.

Does our perception of beauty in ourselves change over the years? Most of us become more self-confident. We grow into the best we will be. It is not denial to think that we are still beautiful; we likely do not look the same as we did at 20 since the beauty we have now is the story of our life shining from our eyes and from the patterns life has etched on our faces. What are the things that make you beautiful? 

• Your eyebrows arching over mischievous eyes?
• The expression on your face when you are listening to a grandchild?
• The laugh you share with your elderly parent?
• Daring to wear a bright scarf swirled around you on a cool day?
• The wave of your hair over dangly earrings? 

In our culture - the prevalent message is that the aging body is ‘not as beautiful’ as the 20 year old body. Realize that it is a matter of perspective and, as a matriarch, you have your own view that is likely at odds with the mass media on this and a many other issues. 

There may even be items on your ‘things that make you beautiful’ list that actually do look better now than they did when you were 20. For example - my fingernails at 20 were brittle and split easily (perhaps from the combination of fingernail polish and its removal). Now I let them grow naturally, shape them with an emery board as they grow, and buff them occasionally to give them a natural shine. They look better than they did when I was 20 years old! And I still wear rings I wore at 20 too!

Here’s to celebrating the beauty in ourselves at every age!