They say cats have nine lives.
Some humans have proven they can reinvent themselves too.
But what happens to those who forgo this opportunity?
The reason could be anything: stubbornness, fear, or missed opportunities.
The plot of one my favorite books of all time, House of Mirth, is about this dilemma. Its heroine, Lily Bart, is a young woman in a time (the late 19th Century) where young women are allowed to be coy, but not brash, let alone brazen. Reputations are easily ruined. Lily finds this out the hard way. Her wrong decisions throw her deeper into a chasm that no woman of her time and status could climb out unless she had money—or married into it. (Even in Old New York, largesse salved all wounds).
Unfortunately, the author, Edith Wharton, had no intention of throwing her heroine a lifeline. Suffice it to say that, by the last page, tears were running down my face.
Which brings me to The Last Showgirl,
If you have a chance to see this film, take it.
The plot, of the last days for an over-the-hill Las Vegas hotel and the oldest dancer in its once-famous high-stepping-chorine stage show exemplifies the aging process that affects all things, be they people or places.
In many cases, even the familiar is not be ideal. It may even be depressing. Then again, the unknown can be scary. Especially if we enjoy our careers and do them well, it is difficult to walk away from something that defines us to ourselves and to others. It means learning new tricks and breaking old habits.
Whereas the character played by Pamela Anderson is reticent to let go of the past, the actress has proven that aging naturally allows others to remember us with grace and dignity. Whereas Baywatch Pamela looked as if she'd never met a plastic surgeon she didn't like and was Botoxed, updo'ed, and war-painted to the hilt, today's Pamela goes without—or with just enough.
She finds no need to jut or to strut. She doesn't look like a living doll. She looks like a person. She looks her age.
That is to say, she is aging gracefully.
Are you letting life take its course, or fighting it tooth and nail?
Do you live to work, or work to live? Email back and let me know, or do so on Facebook, where I post your responses.
I was once told that smiles can create wrinkles.
They also create the fondest memories for those who love us.
No matter your choice, please—never lose your smile.
