How to Age Gracefully - Lessons from Grandma
My grandma Sally was a natural beauty. Unlike many, my grandma's skin looked younger as she got older. Seriously, she had the dewiest, most flawless skin ever all the way up until her passing. I remember looking into her open casket and thinking about what luminous skin she had. I smile when I think of her now; she was a girly-girly who liked to dress up. Her handbag matched her heels, she wore pearl earrings and jeweled combs in her hair, often sported gloved hands and always carried a handkerchief.
She was my second mom for the first eight years of my life and taught me so many things. Here are some of her beauty secrets I’ve borrowed.
- Moisturize. All. The. Time. Grandma did this day and night. Religiously. And it paid off big time.
- Sun Protection. My grandma lived in sunny California and never went outside without protection. Sunblock. Long sleeves. Hat. Little did I know back then, but grandma was right.
- Fresh Vegies. My grandpa was a master gardener if there ever was one. Fresh ginger, garlic, green beans, carrots and the like were staples in the kitchen. Grandma was always cooking something fresh; it’s no wonder her skin glowed from the inside out.
As an adult looking back, the thing that resonates with me most is that she was as elegant a woman inside as she was on the outside. She didn't coach me in makeup or beauty, she taught me to study and pray and that is the biggest lesson she ever taught. Even though she was stunningly beautiful on the outside, the inner person of her heart is what mattered.
Let's face it, old age and illness will eventually overcome all of us. Vanity is striving after the wind. More than appearance, nurture the spiritual woman within. And there is little more beautiful than that.
To the woman within,
