Not What It Should Be

I live in Los Angeles.  Millions of people live here.  And, of those millions, maybe less than 1% accepts aging gracefully.  People have their eyelids nipped.  And their stomachs.  And their thighs.  And their ears.  Hair is colored.  And waxed off.  And lasered off.  Birthdates are changed.  Or completely forgotten.  And why, you ask?  Because to more people than I can ever know, growing older is awful.  It's wretched.  It's frightening.  And it's inevitable.  Doesn't matter one's race, creed, color, sexual preference, education, socio-economic situation, gender, or religious affiliation. Every second/minute/hour we exist, we're growing older.  Don't let me sit here sounding like I'm all peachy keen about the process.  'Cause I'm not.  I don't like the hair growing out of my ears.  I'm not tickled pink about the hair jutting out of my nostrils.  I don't jump for joy when I look into the mirror at the creases in my jowls.  I don't feel as giddy as a schoolgirl when I have to run to the bathroom after only looking at a glass of liquid.  Well, don't let me sound like growing older doesn't have its perks, 'cause it does.  The most important/beneficial perk of 'em all is learning to accept what is.  And learning to let go of what isn't.  Yes, my friends, at 47 yrs old, this ol' boy finally realizes that loving and being loved in return is truly the ONLY aspect of life that truly matters.  Truly.  So, since I love and am loved in return, let the hair in my ears and nose keep on growing.  Luckily, God has blessed this planet with scissors, so all's good!!!  Growing older is simply a fact of life.  Nobody escapes it.  So, it's best to accept that...