Setting My List Aside to Talk about Lines, Wrinkles and Wisdom

           I was working my way down a long list when my neighbor came over - again.   

  Walked right into my house she did.   No time for doorbells.or asking if I had a minute. 
          "We must talk,"  she says and then  proceeds to whine  and complain about her lines,             wrinkles and sagging skin.   

          I think about moving.   

          
           She stands at the mirror in my living room, tears spurting.  

                                        

            "I used to have such young pretty skin."   I roll my Christian eyes.

            Oooooh boy.  Maybe lets forget about saggy skin and talk about hormone imbalance.

       But I don't say that because I am kind and patient.  I am a good Christian neighbor. 

             ....get to the cleaners before it closes

             ....pick up eggs and half and half at the grocery store

             ....finish the downstairs bathroom

       I catch myself.  

             Forget the list, Lisa.  Eyes off yourself.

            She stares into my mirror.   She tells me of her trip to Costco.  She spent 

      $175.00 on face cream.  "It promised to make the lines, wrinkles, and saggy skin 

      disappear."  She leans into the mirror and rests her forehead on the glass.    

           Hey, hey hey, don't put your forehead on my mirror!

           "The cream didn't work.  Now, I don't know what to do."  

            Uh, how about go home?

            I got lots more to say, but I am kind and patient so I don't say any of it.

      I add another item to my list.  ...clean unsightly smudge off living room mirror.

            She puts her palms on her cheeks and gently lifts them.  "If I could just get them to sit 

      back up here.  You know?  If I could train them some how... "

             We're talking about cheeks, honey, not dogs. 

             But I don't say that either.  She goes on, working her fingers over her face.  "If  I could 

      smooth out all these lines around my mouth...."  She grabs her jowls and pulls them up 

      to her ears.   "Don't you think this looks so much better?" 

             I can't answer her.  I'm unnerved.   Once she moved the jowls to her ears, the

      eyes decided to go too.  Now I'm just talking to a flat nose on a tightly stretched 

      canvas..  

            Ain't no one gonna find that attractive,  friend.

            I'm starting to get to that place.  The "oh come on...... did you just walk into my house and 

      say that?", place.  The  "I'm 'bout to forget I am a Christian woman.",  sort of place.  

            But I am still thoughtful and kind.  I gently tell her, "If you give away the lines around your

      mouth then you're going to have to give up every ounce of wisdom that came with them."

            She looks at me like I'm nuts.

            I remember my list.  

            I'm pretty much only Christian on the outside now.  

            Not sure why, but I continue,  "The wrinkles around your eyes, the creases in your 

      forehead....all have come with experience, knowledge...and wisdom.  They have blessed

      you with something to give back to the world...to sew into your children and grandchildren."

            She leaves.  I lock my door and go on with my day.  Its not like I don't have those same

      concerns.  I remember the day I bent over and caught the image of my upside-down face in 

      the mirror.  Man, I stood up so fast.  Breathing heavy.  Scared me to death.  My eyes just 

      sort of slid to my hairline and my neck rolled right down over my chin.  I vowed to think twice

      before I ever bent over again.  I am grateful for my wisdom and all  -  the opportunity to 'give

      back' and 'sew in'  -  but it is somehow difficult to remember all those great blessings when

      your eyes slide to your hairline and your neck rolls down over your chin.