At seventy-five, you should accept your “golden years,” slow down, and, as they say, “act your age.” However, who defines what it means to act your age? It all comes down to doing what brings you joy and a sense of aliveness, in my opinion. That’s red lipstick for me. Since I can remember, I have worn it; it is fiery, brazen, and unapologetic, representing the energy I have carried with me throughout the years. However, that doesn’t seem to be accepted anymore. At least that’s what my son and his spouse say.I was preparing for a family meal yesterday; it was not going to be like the ones I usually looked forward to. As I meticulously applied my preferred red lipstick shade, “Ruby Flame,” in my bedroom, my son Stephen suddenly poked his head in.
“Mom, you look like a desperate old clown trying to cling to your youth,” he hissed, interrupting my impression that he was there to check on me or even to give me a praise. It’s awkward. You are not required to do it.He grinned when he said it, as though it were a lighthearted joke. However, I was aware of this. He meant it.
