Fountain of Youth

I'm getting older. I can see it in my eyes. I'm getting lines around them. I start thinking about my options: anti-aging cream, botox, or aging "gracefully."

A few years ago, I ran into an old friend. Or not so much a friend, rather, someone I used to know. When she saw me, her eyes widened and she said, "Wow. You look older." What else could I say but, "Thanks a lot." Backtracking quickly, she said, "No, I just mean that you've always had a baby face but now you look your age."

Again, thanks.

My dad's mom used to always say she was a young person trapped in an old lady's body. That's me. (I wish there was such a thing as a sarcasm text. I hope you all know me well enough by now to know that I'm half joking.)

For the most part I don't mind being the age I am. There are parts of it that are more stressful than others. Some are serious worries and some are less serious. In general I don't usually feel too "old" and I don't try to look or act younger than I am.

But I really don't like what's happening to my eyes. I was talking about this at a family gathering on Satuday and my uncle said, "Let me see." He looked at my face and told me to smile. Then he gave me his diagnosis, "those are just smile lines, not crows feet."

So there it is. My punishment for being happy: wrinkles.

But the thing is, no matter how bad the smile lines get I know I don't have it in me to actually get Botox. I just don't think I'm a Botox kind of girl. I've even found myself actually looking up websites about Botox injections (I like the before and after pictures) but it always leaves me thinking, "I'm never going to actually do this....am I?" But I'm not. I think I just use it as a way to threaten my skin, "if you don't stop aging, you're going to pay." My skin probably knows it's an idle threat but I keep trying to scare it into behaving anyway.

My hairstylist, who's the same age as me, gets Botox injections every 4-6 months and has tried to talk me into doing the same. But aren't we too young to start doing that so often? If you're doing that every 4-6 months at age 30, can you imagine how much Botox will be in your system by the time you're 60!?

I think my best option is to stop the aging in process in nonsurgical ways. First matter of business: no more smiling, laughing, or doing anything else to deepen my smile lines. That includes giggling. Muffled laughing is ok as long as I don't move my face at all.

Ok, now I did not write this post so you would tell me I don't look old so please don't feel any obligation to do so. The whole post is somewhat tongue in cheek (with a little truth to it). If any of you feel the same way about laugh lines or Botox or have any tips, feel free to share! But don't write anything funny in the comments - remember, no more laughing.