Put On Your Face

Excerpt from Daily Cures, Wisdom for Healthy Aging by Connie Mason Michaelis

My mother got up every day and put on her face.  Mom got out of bed and went through her morning routine, which included putting on her makeup.  She did it every day, come rain or shine.  I didn’t think much of it as a kid, but as I grew older, I realized that not everyone was as diligent about applying their makeup.  Of course, I followed her footsteps; putting on my face is as natural as breathing.  Don’t get me wrong; it isn’t about the vanity of makeup; it is an attitude of preparation.  Mom was ready to meet the day, face-to-face (pardon the pun).  It really doesn’t matter what your routine is, whether it is shaving, showering, reading the paper, exercising, praying, or meditating, it is about preparing for the day.  You get up, and you get going!  The rhythm of the day is established, and you are more than likely to have a purposeful and productive day. 

When Mom was in her nineties, she still put on her face.  I remember her wicker basket with her Mary Kay products: cleanser, moisturizer, foundation, rouge, brow liner, and powder.  She went through her routine sitting down, and it took a little longer to open the containers, but she did it perfectly. I loved her attitude!  Perhaps that is an indicator of successful aging; you have to get up every day and prepare for life.  Senior years are certainly a time to take it easy and enjoy the freedom from rigid schedules, but having a plan for the day and something to look forward to is so important!  Maybe there is a friend to meet for lunch, a movie to see, or a card game to join.  You’re ready!

“The only way I'd be caught without makeup is if my radio fell in the bathtub while I was taking a bath and electrocuted me. I hope my husband would slap a little lipstick on me before he took me to the morgue.”     Dolly Parton