When Beauty Changes Its Address

There are mornings when the mirror seems to have received information you were not copied on.

A line appears. Hair changes. Skin changes. The face you knew by heart begins revising itself.

You are allowed to dislike some of it.

Acceptance does not require pretending every change is delightful.

But be careful about treating beauty as though it lived only at one former address.

Beauty migrates.

It moves into expression, posture, taste, humor, confidence, hands that know what they are doing, eyes that have seen enough to become less easily impressed.

Take care of yourself in whatever ways feel like care rather than punishment.

Then broaden the definition.

You have not failed to remain young.

You have succeeded at remaining here.