Beauty inside or out?

I've been growing old all my life but I didn't know it! Had I realized, I would have taken certain measures before now. My approach to beauty has pretty much been "Get beautiful from the outside in" but after all these years I've come to realize that you have to do it from the inside out! Bummer....I hope it's not too late.

I remember telling my girls as they were growing up that it was what is on the inside that counts....of course I was talking mostly about character and values....it's amazing how those things show up in a person's face. If you're happy, doing things you love, doing what's right it just shows in your face.

I forgot about things like nutrition and hydration! Those things show up in your face too and guess what? Once you've got wrinkles you're pretty much stuck with them for the rest of your life (unless you're willing to be skinned like a rabbit and re-stretched to fit!). I remember when the crows feet first showed up....I actually thought they were pretty charming...kind of make me look respectable, older, more mature....(things only a 27 year old would find the least bit desirable). Right then I should have gone to the kitchen poured myself a gallon glass of water, drank it down and refilled it daily for the rest of my life!

When I moved to the Midwest I thought the humidity in the air would help (no more dry winds from the western plains states)....once again I was thinking from the outside in....Makeup has always been my Best Friend.....I'm totally superficial in that way....for the first 4 years of our marriage HH never, really NEVER saw me without it. (I was afraid if he saw the "real" me he'd be terribly frightened). I've developed a modicum of good sense since then and he does occasionally see me "au naturale" as it were and to his credit he still loves me. BUT, I'm still attached to my makeup bag in the most intimate way and to this day it's the only thing I consider absolutely NECESSARY to carry-on the airplane with me. (I can live in three day old underwear but not if my face isn't on!)

Anyway, aside from needing some serious counseling over this issue I'm really trying to remember what's really important to me. I want to go through this life looking like I feel, and I really want to feel great. I want to be happy, kind, loving, thoughtful, giving, faithful, and patient (okay so maybe I need to work on some of those a little more) and I want it to show in my face....is that too much to ask at 50? (I'm technically not 50 till next month but I try to start saying the new age a few months before so it's not such a shock when it gets here).

So .... today's another day, I'm happy, I'm healthy and I feel terrific! A big thank you to Heavenly Father for all my blessings and to the people I love for waiting for me to perfect myself!

Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart ~ Kahlil Gibran~