A PS required itself. Perhaps this needed attention twice.
So I wrote, published, and therefore sent out to my list the below post as it stands, but it belatedly struck me that it was missing a little something which is quite key to the point of it. Because much of my spare time for writing occurs in the late evening, I ended up unintentionally taking the photos in “soft light” and therefore actually accidentally somewhat muted the features that are really key to the whole thing that I most enjoy embracing in my own dear “imperfect” face. That being of course my beloved wrinkles, or character lines. These are an important part of what I am talking about when I say our faces hold our stories. So to amend that omission, here I am in broad daylight:
And just for luck, that thinking face, once more. It does get me in trouble sometimes that one... Poor misunderstood thinking face... Questing always for understanding...
And an extra last bonus from younger, bit less wrinkled, more somehow sort of teddy bear-ish days. Because there's nothing like cutting off your hair to make you realise how much you've been hiding your face!! (And yep that’s a school photo, but from my early days as a teacher. Not quite that young! That expression: “oh I wasn’t expecting to have school photos just after giving myself a number 4 cut,” ...embarrassed giggle...)
So I wrote, published, and therefore sent out to my list the below post as it stands, but it belatedly struck me that it was missing a little something which is quite key to the point of it. Because much of my spare time for writing occurs in the late evening, I ended up unintentionally taking the photos in “soft light” and therefore actually accidentally somewhat muted the features that are really key to the whole thing that I most enjoy embracing in my own dear “imperfect” face. That being of course my beloved wrinkles, or character lines. These are an important part of what I am talking about when I say our faces hold our stories. So to amend that omission, here I am in broad daylight:
Also, while I’m on the photos, it would have been nice if they had been portraits by another photographer, as opposed to selfies, because, well, selfies can be a bit weird somehow. But sadly I am only one person with not the resources to enlist the assistance of a photographer. ;-) So on that note, I shall lead into the original with this one here that makes me look perhaps a little bit extra kooky (or perhaps that’s just the truth of it hehe) and highlights my interestingly slopy, and in this picture, somewhat blurry, forehead lines.
And yes, I have spent time admiring each and every individual wrinkle (well perhaps not every single one as my collection does keep growing...). The between the eyebrows ones were perhaps among the hardest to learn to love, but for whatever reason, this became easier once two became four (more or less) and they became more asymmetrical (though symmetry is often preferred...!). Another key moment for loving those particular face creases was admiring someone else's particularly individual ones, which led to me realising that I actually don't usually so much notice these wrinkles on other people, that they can be really interesting, and also realising that mine deserved more positive attention. I also explicitly spent time exploring the emotions and thought processes and facial expressions that contributed to these little darlings, which were not entirely as I expected. This contributed to my crease compassion.
And, with that, I go on to a very special one - this one I prepared earlier for a previous sharing of wrinkle love, because my ultimate aim - which should not go unmentioned - is to join up the smile lines of my eyes, right down my cheeks to my smile lines of my mouth. Getting close hey. :-) It actually somehow wasn't until I took this one and examined it that I discovered I also have a smile "rainbow" on my forehead. Bonus. :-)
And, with that, I go on to a very special one - this one I prepared earlier for a previous sharing of wrinkle love, because my ultimate aim - which should not go unmentioned - is to join up the smile lines of my eyes, right down my cheeks to my smile lines of my mouth. Getting close hey. :-) It actually somehow wasn't until I took this one and examined it that I discovered I also have a smile "rainbow" on my forehead. Bonus. :-)
And then some more. This one because, my forehead again, and also, baby face - what's not to love there too (despite the lack of wrinkles). :-)
And just for luck, that thinking face, once more. It does get me in trouble sometimes that one... Poor misunderstood thinking face... Questing always for understanding...
And an extra last bonus from younger, bit less wrinkled, more somehow sort of teddy bear-ish days. Because there's nothing like cutting off your hair to make you realise how much you've been hiding your face!! (And yep that’s a school photo, but from my early days as a teacher. Not quite that young! That expression: “oh I wasn’t expecting to have school photos just after giving myself a number 4 cut,” ...embarrassed giggle...)
So embrace those faces. All of them. And most especially your own. Love love love.
Original Embrace your face here. The poem gets to the heart of it.
