My father a source of inspiration to me through his wise words.
“The lines on my face show the path that I have travelled in my life” is a quote that has been deeply embedded in my memory for many years, although the bearer of such wonderful insight has faded. Living in the 21st Century we are constantly bombarded with cosmetic surgery, how we can become aesthetically more beautiful, a nip here, a tuck there and voila, we look 10 years younger.
Scientific research has even advanced so far that genes can be spliced for cosmetic purposes. And while the central focus of genetic engineering has primarily been involved in breeding out genetic health defects prenatally, with the lines of social morality blurring through the generations, it’s only a simple progression to use this technique to enhance beauty. Anyway, wanting a blue eyed, blonde haired baby can’t be all bad, can it?
But what aren’t we being told? A work colleague of mine was warned against getting botox from a close friend, who also happened to be a plastic surgeon. He said every time you have the treatment, you’ll require a heavier dose for the same results. An interesting correlation here is that botox was initially a substance used on people with spasticity to help relax their muscles and it has now evolved into becoming a cosmetic treatment. Not dissimilar to the progression of gene splicing, ironically.
Scrutinising a friend recently I noticed her long lustrous eyelashes and commented on how stunning they looked. She remarked offhandedly that she’d had eyelash extensions done. Now I must admit I have considered having extensions before, but having questioned numerous friends regarding the treatment they’ve all voiced concerns on how they’d damaged their natural eyelashes.
I also felt it was worth a mention to talk about a horror breast augmentation another friend had discussed with me a short time ago. One of her close friends had gone to Thailand for cosmetic surgery, the allure of a larger bust line at a greatly reduced price enticing her to travel. After the operation she returned to Australia and ended up in hospital, severely ill, only to find out that the breast augmentation had resulted in an infection after the instruments hadn’t been sterilised. The infection had escalated to the point where she’d had to have the implants removed.
What compels us to feel the need to be an aesthetically perfect version of ourselves? A stunning Greek woman I work with was approached with a free trial for botox. She had a couple of fine lines around her eyes and her mouth, but at fifty six was still striking. I questioned her on why she was getting the treatment and said that she looked fantastic for her age and didn’t need it. The fine lines on her face only enhanced her beauty, showing a life of warmth and laughter.
No-one has the perfect gene pool. I recall reading an interview with Elle Macpherson when she mentioned she didn’t like the shape of her bottom. Sweating away on my treadmill I regularly curse my father for passing on the genes that direct any extra calories to take refuge on my stomach. But for all the unsavoury and slightly flawed genes that have evolved from previous generations, without these we would lose the characteristics that remind us of our past.
Maybe instead of focusing on aesthetics we should focus more energy and financial support toward inner beauty. Spend more money on donations to charities and if money is in short supply, good deeds are free of charge. My father once said to me, “What is the point of having a lot of money if you can’t help people”, if only more people shared his belief system the world would definitely be a happier and much more beautiful place. But when it comes down to it physical beauty is fleeting, but good deeds last forever.
Mid Thirties Madness 