You’re looking at crones. Can you see the beauty? • Offbeat Home & Life

Photos of Golden and Griselda by Golden Drake / @goldenawakening

This is me and my friend, Griselda. We’re both crones.

Here we all are, incarnated in the times of ageism, racism, sexism, ableism, and general other-phobia. Each of us is Infinite Source in a finite human body, at different points on the continuum of aging.

Griselda and I often discuss and question our ingrained beliefs about how our aging bodies should look and function. We are from different cultural backgrounds and generations, yet we are both survivors, mothers, crones in menopause, and moving through the world in chronic pain.

I like to hear about her experiences on the planet. I like to reflect back to her that I see her beauty and her strength.

It’s taken me a lot of de-programming to be able to adjust my vision and see aging as beautiful. So many of us in this culture are programmed to believe that aging bodies are ugly, irrelevant. We are programmed to believe that the unique shape and design of our changing bodytemple is not beautiful, and therefore not valid, valued, or lovable.

In our society, it is not acceptable for female-identified people to age. We are all downloaded with the message that we are supposed to look 20 years old forever. We often go to great extremes to achieve this. We get mad when our bodies begin to droop, sag, slow down, and our physical/mental abilities change.

Aging is a reminder that we are having a finite experience on the planet. The constant flow of birth life death cycle over time is a metaphor for what IS.

We enter and exit these bodies, yet the truth is that we exist eternally — body or no body.

The aging body is a signal that our time here is waning.

It’s a reminder to revel in the preciousness of every moment, every eye gaze, every breath, every exchange, every footstep, every gesture, all of it, every new day is a precious gift, a celebration that we were granted another chance to live fully.

Not everyone gets the luxury of aging. And not everyone realizes in their lifetime that they are a mind-blowing miracle, simply just by being in their body. That itself is beautiful!

I see clearly now that weathered skin and silver hairs are testimony of resilience and experience.

I see the stories woven into aging posture and ability.

I hear the wisdom in the timbre of an aging voice.

I embrace the beauty of aging now. Do you?

Guest Post By: Golden Drake

Golden Drake is a San Diego-based life coach, movement mentor, and breast cancer survivor. Her life's devotion is to support folks in their awakening & empowerment process.

Comments on You’re looking at crones. Can you see the beauty?

She’s gorgeous and totally slaying that fur jacket.

Beautiful piece! It has impacted me and I will think about this a lot.

I’ve embraced getting older by getting into natural skin care routines such as: dry brushing my body, making face masks, buying exspensive glass bottles of oils with vitamin c and almond oil that are hydrating, using witchazel toner, and using sparing makeup.

There is wisdom in aging gracefully and mindfulness of loving ones self through self care routines.

I also look at my mother as shes almost 60 and the beauty I see in her face when she smiles and her attitude towards aging as a guide of what to think and what not to.