In the Name of Beauty

Every 4-6 weeks I go to a complete stranger and allow her to electrocute my va-jajay...all in the name of beauty.  No this isn't some fancy new shock therapy geared towards increasing "drive" or rejuvenating the privates, but rather plain old laser hair removal.  A procedure I have been thinking about doing for many years now, you see, although I'm blond (with a little help) I descend from ancestors of the hairy-German variety - my maternal grandfather had some impressive hair growth on his fingers and toes and a carpet-like covering on his chest and back.  Luckily that was counterbalanced in my genetic make-up by my fairly-hairless father.  Needless to say I have griped about shaving my armpits and bikini area for years.  And since this is my year of change I took the plunge and handed over a wad of hard-earned cash to get tortured every 4-6 weeks.

We of the woman-kind seem to enjoy torturing our bodies in order achieve (or retain) beauty.  We cannot simply age gracefully because our society places such high value on youth.  I recently watched an Oprah with Teri Hatcher and some other older-generation beauties in which they were discussing just this matter.  Our life-expectancy is increasing, yet society has little regard for people over a certain age and there is an intense pressure to remain looking young.  Women can't just be 50 and look 50, they need to be 50 and look 30 (without looking like they've had "work" done).  So does that mean at 30 I should still look 15? 

As a woman no longer in her 20s what I want in a future partner has evolved.  He will be someone who looks beyond outward appearance and appreciates me for who I am.  He will love how I look now, but won't love me any less if my looks fade into an older version of what they are today.  I don't plan to be a woman who surgically seeks continued youth.  We'd all like smooth and flawless thighs, flat abs, and perfect boobs that point skyward, but we can't all stay looking 20 forever.  My stomach shows proof of having born two gorgeous children and when I look at it in the mirror I find incredible beauty in that.