[...]
And while many of the nudists I saw were gross and had unpleasant folds of skin and bulging veins, in the moment I found it difficult to judge. It wasn't my place to visit a culture that avoided using appearance as criteria for evaluation and throw society's standards back upon them. And I had to admit my own bias. If I had been seeing a younger, more beautiful generation, the nudism might not have felt so taboo.
More than viewing a foreign, deviant people, what I was staring at was the future. Yes, we have attractive, youthful bodies now, but what about fifty years down the line? Our society is so taboo about older bodies that we try to ignore them. If you don't believe me, just remember what a stir Kathy Bates caused in her hot tub scene in About Schmidt.
As a society we cling to youth -- worship it -- and even as we try to prolong our lives, we avoid thinking about what that actually means. Someday, I too will be old and gross, and even if I choose not to be quite as enthusiastic as the nudists, I hope I can take it with the same unbroken stride and unwavering confidence. So for that reason, I salute the old nudists of the Armadillo Resort. They might not be pretty, but they certainly have my respect.
More here
Well said. I find that I don't really miss my youth. I look back on those years and wonder what the hell was I thinking. I hope I've learned a few lessons along the way. Growing older is inevitable but I'm going to do it my way and, if at all possible, in good health.
ReplyDelete