Discussing Gay Vanity and Aging
Does vanity, can it, or should it ever exist in old age?
It was hard to find a photo of “vanity,” so I settled for this one—perhaps it proved to be more than appropriate for a gay man discussing vanity! Vanity, according to my dictionary, is excessive pride in or admiration of one’s own appearance or achievement. Is EXCESSIVE the keyword here?
The other night, I don't know why, I was thinking about vanity as I studied my face in the mirror. Maybe I do know why. Recently, I received the diagnosis of Bell’s palsy:
Bell’s palsy is a type of facial paralysis that results in a temporary inability to control the facial muscles on the affected side of the face. In most cases, the weakness is temporary and significantly improves over weeks. Symptoms can vary from mild to severe. They may include muscle twitching, weakness, or total loss of the ability to move one or, in rare cases, both sides of the face. Other symptoms include drooping of the eyebrow, a change in taste, and pain around the ear. Typically symptoms come on over 48 hours. Bell’s palsy can trigger an increased sensitivity to sound known as hyperacusis.
