Getting older is a fact of life. Embrace it or ignore it. Either way it’s better than the alternative. One day, not long ago, I looked up and saw a reflection of this older guy in the mirror who looked a lot like me. That was the moment I began to come to terms with the inevitable process of aging. I wasn’t repelled by the idea, just surprised. The reality of my physical maturing had snuck up on me.

Every now and then, I think about what it might be like to go back in time (knowing what I already know now, of course). If I could go back in time, there would certainly be a few things I would do differently. A few painful lessons I wouldn’t have to relearn. I would have started down the path I now walk about ten years earlier. I would have saved more money for retirement, allowed myself to be fallible sooner, backpacked a summer across Europe and taken better care of my skin. As a boy, I spent my summers playing in the surf and all day out on the ball field. I loved the warmth and the magic that came with those blissful summers. These days we all know about sun exposure, the hole in the ozone and melanoma. Our environment is beginning to turn on us and the first casualty is our skin. Sun exposure is not necessarily bad though it should be of concern. The melanin pigments in our skin need to be stimulated. It triggers the body’s natural defenses yet if we burn, we can do irreparable damage to the skin cells as well as breaking down it’s texture and quality. Aside from all of this wonderful knowledge, we have to factor in how we treat our bodies when we are young. The food we consume, smoking, alcohol, exercise, our water intake - it’s enough to drive us mad. Many of us have squandered the fortune of our youthful bodies and only now as we age do we wish to recapture what we have lost. In some ways, we can

Ideas on aging have changed drastically in the past ten years. When some part of the body wears out we replace it. Medicines to improve the quality of life are beginning to flood the market. What was once impossible for the aged is now limitless. We are living longer and better so we have to care more about our bodies because we are spending more time in them and taking them greater distances. Even if we choose to enhance our looks through cosmetic surgery, any reputable surgeon will tell you that in order for the effects to last, you have to do a better job caring for your skin. There is an old saying that you can’t get out of a bad situation using the same thinking that got you into it. The same goes for our skin. Aging is as inevitable as the sunrise. Personally, I wouldn’t trade the wisdom and experience that shows on my face for anything. Though my jaw is still firm from years of being set by stubborn determination, my laugh lines are a testament to the joys I’ve experienced and the softening about my eyes only serves to prove that I don’t take myself too seriously. A bit creased, my face is still taught and supple because I started using moisturizer a few years back. Ultimately, we get the faces we deserve. If we decide to protect and defend ourselves now against the ravages of environment and time, a pleasant reflection of our journey awaits us all.