I snapped this photo this week without really thinking about it.
One of my great nieces (daughter of one of my nieces) texted me that she loves and misses me, and since she hasn’t seen me in awhile or I her, I snapped this and texted it back to her with my response.
Later, I looked at this photo more closely on the computer with a larger size than on the phone where I quickly snapped and sent it. The first thought I had was, “Wow, I’m old!”
Then I laughed. It isn’t that I haven’t been noticing that. It made me happy to realize I didn’t have a negative reaction to it. I feel I’ve earned each crease from time and laughter. The slightly greying hair feels like a trophy of long-term survival on planet earth.
I felt compassion and love for the image looking back at me in this photo. I see timidness, tiredness, shyness and joy. I also see a grounding, and wisdom that didn’t used to be there when a younger face peered back at me.
In the course of my days, I see the faces of those I love, my friends and family, and tell them that I love them so that they know. Maybe I don’t tell them often enough. I miss friends I don’t see any longer because they aren’t in my life as tangibly. Geographic distance and time have separated us but I still feel love for them in my heart, and I cherish new friendships as they manifest.
I look out from rather than at my own face, so don’t see it as often. It was nice to have a moment to remind HER, I love her too.