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Episode 828 Does retirement call for a dermatologist?
Without a word he started pressing this super cold swab against our faces: a dot here and a dot there. He must have hit a dozen spots. He said they were “precancerous colorations' ' and he was just being cautious. He said they would turn red, blister and then peel off in a couple of weeks. It doesn’t make one look like a model. Years ago it would have been of real concern. But retired and older, it doesn’t seem to matter. It is just another step in the process of life. I like to think of them as “beauty marks''.
Last week my wife and I went to a dermatologist for a skin scan. A friend of ours who has had skin cancers removed for over thirty years insisted that we do this. He claimed that it went with retirement. The dermatologist found us cancer free, but at the same time opened the lid to a vat of liquid nitrogen, dipped a cotton swab and went to work.
“Beautiful people” dominate our advertisement and entertainment industry. We see the million dollar smile everywhere – right along with silky smooth skin,coffered hair, sculpted bodies, and the latest styles – fashion stuff. We spend years of our lives on this quest for beauty. Getting older has one giant benefit over youth. We are wiser, or at least we should be. The concept of beauty migrates from being all physical to character and inner attributes.
My wife used to cruise the department stores and fashion boutiques looking for something magical that would send a message to the world. She doesn’t do that any more. It is rare that she wanders the aisle shifting hangers from left to right examining all of the latest styles and colors. I’d say she has moved to a higher level. Most of her clothing now comes from recreational sporting stores, or from birthday or Christmas gifts.
This obsession with physical beauty starts young and runs long. We like to dress our children and grandchildren in pretty little clothes. We shower them with “new” stuff. I can never understand it when second hand stuff does just as well. I keep thinking that the kids don’t really care nor know the difference between new and used. Is it any wonder that by the time they hit junior high they are looking for the latest colors or fashion? By high school the desire is all-consuming. I remember having “hand-me-downs” given to me that were in perfectly good condition. Except --- except they were out of style. Thus they were unacceptable.
Then there is the mirror. It is a wonder that mirrors don’t wear out. Hours spent staring at oneself. I can only assume it is universal. The nose is too long, short, flat, or wide. The hair is too thin, thick, long, short, black or blond. The skin is too fair, dark, or swarthy. You’re too short, tall, skinny, or fat. The list is endless. The advertisers goal is to make us uncomfortable with how we look so that we will buy something else. There's money to be made. They do a very good job.
Probably the most important aspect of this obsession with 'looking good’ is the self concept that is created. One becomes self-assured or lacking in self-esteem based entirely on physical appearance. Time and experience reveals the error of this thinking. We have all seen this myth shattered. We learn that there is more to a person than 'looking good'. Getting older does offer this huge advantage in life. We can see past the nose on our face – and others.
I remember seeing the painting of Peter Paul Rubens and the rotund women that he painted. Today we would call them heavy or fat. Society does not think of them as being beautiful. But they were in his day. In an anthropology class I learned of huge women on some islands in the South Pacific who were considered having the most beautiful body types. The bigger the better. Experiencing life helps refocus our minds on what we consider beautiful.
The more one values and cherishes their youthful appearance, the more disappointing the later days of life must become. Age is a great equalizer. Wrinkles come; posture changes – gravity wins; the hair thins; skin loses elasticity. Other physical changes are impossible to halt. Some people try cosmetic surgery, toupees, injections, etc. They may help some – for a short time. But for most of us – we accept aging and the 'look' that comes with it.
Those that age gracefully are those that still smile and have a sense of self and where they are. They radiate life and a positive view of all the days of their lives. They are at home in new clothes or old. They are at home – period. They have learned to accept the truth of inner beauty. Their eyes still have a sparkle; a certain zest. They have probably had this sense of life being interesting from very early on. They are inquisitive and still able to marvel at the world. The clothes, the nose, the skin, and the teeth become secondary to the actions of heart and mind.
There is a time and place for Dermatologists and retirement is one. They can help prevent certain cancers that can be easily treated. They can sustain life for a time. The little red spots and blisters are a small price to pay.
This is retirement talk. Something to think about.
A resource from a listener: Best Free Online Degrees for Seniors guide is designed to assist seniors who aspire to enhance their intellect or consider starting a new career path. It features an overview of the top online degrees for seniors, emphasizing their numerous advantages, and a broad range of subjects to choose from. A friend's website: Terra Firma Designs: Fine Furniture, Stained Glass and woodworking workshops. Copyright 2010 RetirementTalk.org |
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