Recently I met a lady I had not seen in many years. Her immediate response to me was, “you haven’t changed a bit.  You look just like you did the last time I saw you.” Thinking silently, I said to myself, “she has a severe problem with her eyesight!” I am old and I have numerous wrinkles on my face. However, my observation of my friend was quite different. She did not have a wrinkle on her forehead or other parts of her face. In fact she looked as if her ‘ponytail’ was too tight. I thought she looked considerably better before the obvious facelift.

In my youth, I recall the conversations of people my current age. These conversations revolved around ‘aches’ and ‘pains’ or what medications they were taking. I can vividly remember declaring that I would not go down the same conversational path. This path is a tough one not to enter. It is fraught with danger to your well being. Let me explain.

My thoughts came as a result of my background in psychology but more readily from a daily devotion as I was reading Psalm 92:14, ….”they will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh….”

As often as I can I visit my 92 year old brother who is in an independent living facility. The residents run the gamut with their daily attitudes. Many  are negative and grouchy and you can become tired just being in their presence. There is another attitude within the same group that is characterized by aliveness, smiles, engaging. You immediately become energized by their presence. From these two illustrations, I readily promote an attitude of positiveness to eliminate wrinkles.

The same Psalm previously quoted also says……’proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night……..” A wonderful approach for the aging. It goes like this: I proclaim and declare I will not say anything negative today about anyone. Begin each day with this plan of action and at evening prior to going to bed review your thoughts and plan for the next day. Don’t become a recluse, stay active. Don’t shun trips, gatherings or places that you feel are for ‘older’ people. Don’t deny your age.

You may acquire physical wrinkles, but those wrinkles will not deter from your appearance if you have an attitude of positiveness and actively engage people and places.

It is wonderful to be young, with

clear sight, acute hearing, elastic

step, pulses drumming to the march

of exhilarating health. But old age

has glories that youth cannot know. It

is a blessed old age indeed if it ends

brightly at evening time.

Author unknown