Age is more than Skin Deep
A few weeks ago, a video went viral in which an engaged couple underwent a series of cosmetic and costumes changes which helped to preview what they would look like in their 50’s, 70’s, and 90’s.
I initially thought it was clever. I shared it on my timeline, and even showed it to my mom.
As I reflected on the video days later, I began to think a little differently about it. Something which bothered me about the whole concept is that it made the assumption that it’s only someone’s appearance and taste in fashion which changes as they grow older. Now that I’m 40, I feel like I’m qualified to say that this isn’t true, and that the video isn’t all that accurate.
The participants in this demonstration were in their mid-20’s with their whole lives ahead of them. I was not the same person when I was in my 20’s as I am now, and the difference didn’t come purely from fifteen year’s worth of aging.
For starters, this couple was engaged to get married. Just the act of being married alters a person’s perspective on life. Then, there are the ups and downs which come with a career. I don’t know what their professions are, but in my lifetime I’ve been laid off or let go four separate times. Something like that can’t happen without changing you a little.
The couple talked about having kids. Ah, ha, ha. Just the act of giving birth is life changing. Again, I know this because my wife and I have had a baby three separate times, and I’ve never come out the same.
Beyond having babies, there is the process of raising them. You grow and develop as a parent as your child grows, mostly because they are always curious and as the parent you need to always stay at least one step ahead of them.
My point is that life is unpredictable, and many of the things that could happen to a person within twenty or thirty years could affect them in ways that are unpredictable. Even planned events, such as moves, job changes, becoming a parent, and marriage changes a person’s life.
When the woman in the video opens her eyes,and sees what her husband will look like as, say, an 80-year-old man, she is seeing him from the perspective of a twenty-five year old woman. He, in return, is doing the same thing. Their opinion of the other isn’t being altered by any of the memories or experience which they would have gained from several more decades of being alive on Earth.
I remember what it’s like to be engaged and look forward to a life together with your future spouse. You begin to discuss a lot of milestones like babies, owning a house, and of course that ultimate goal of “growing old together.” As they say, hindsight is twenty-twenty, and looking back I know now that life is way more complicated than what we gave it credit for.
Here is the video:
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Originally published at docs.google.com.
