Wrinkles Tell Of A Well-lived Life
Their pupils enclose the treasures of their entire lives, the secrets of their journey and adventures.
Their eyelashes, strong but delicate, say they have experienced both the waterfalls of tears and the ripple of the sun’s rays.
Their appearance has been shaped by thousands of buried battles, some fighting in the midst of big waves and others fighting in the shadow of calmer winds.
When they look at you, they give access to their own feelings, as if an invisible bridge connects us to them. Sometimes they erect shields and walls to protect them that can be broken with love and care; sometimes they greet you with doors gently open and accompanied by a hug or a hefty kiss.
In their mouths, silent for years, there is no rush to speak, and when they speak, words are full of wisdom. If only we could learn from the advice.
If we listen to them, we learn so much… They teach us lessons about life and its nuances.
Their wrinkles – shaped by emotions, wounds and successes – have formed over the years and are part of their character.
Wrinkles full of sacrifices, full of emotions – wrinkles that have formed in the wake of heavy waves of pain. Wrinkles full of love and life.
Their skin has survived deeper wounds than we can ever imagine. Some have healed completely, but some have remained and formed scars into which tampering can unleash an emotional storm.
From the bow of their backs one can sense the weight of the losses they are experiencing. The losses as a result of which they have lost someone with whom they have shared a bond of steel strength, no distance, mental or physical, must not make them forget. Memories of their loved ones rise deep beneath the surface, and emerge directly from the heart.
Their hands and feet have supported their journey. A journey that has been tortuous, unstable, and full of dangers and challenges, and given them the strength of their being.
A journey that has also been full of flowers, fresh air and sweetness – a journey they have enjoyed at every possible moment.
And yet we sometimes forget. We forget…
They are the heroes of our past and present, and they make us think about what is possible if we really want it. Life leaves scars on our skin and soul, hot and cold.
The voice of experience picks back and forth between silence and protest, brave hearts that continue to move forward despite the storms they face.
But who are these people?
The elderly in the fall of their lives. Their appearance and wrinkles reveal them.
Those who in time handed you a helping hand and fixed your mocha. Those who taught you to care for and water the seeds that you plant so that one day they will bear fruit.
There they are, either by your side or far away, waiting for you to smile at them, to love them. When you meet them, listen. Their words can lead you toward your dreams.
When you meet them, understand them, even their silence, for it is full of meanings.
When you meet them, hug them, for a sincere and meaningful hug is a kind and heartwarming gesture.
And remember, one day you yourself will be the hero of your present and past for future generations.
