Reality

Reality hits all of us at different moments.

Of course, I can only speak for the female of the species. The guys will have to handle their own narratives on the subject.

It rarely happens when a woman look in a mirror. The unfortunate truth is that most of us share the magic glass owned by Snow White’s wicked stepmother. Ours is swathed in gauze projecting what we wish to see rather than the truth.

No, the march of time descends into our consciousness when something occurs in our lives.

Sometimes it is the marriage of the youngest granddaughter catapulting the vision we see of a young female into that of a married woman, and bringing the matriarch into another phase, elder stateswoman.

Often it is when we remove the veil and view ourselves through another’s eyes.

Probably one that is the most painful; a new hairdresser asking carefully if you might want to try something a “bit different.”

Or a female relative carefully questioning, “You’re wearing that?”

For me it was a survey. Yes, one of those online questionnaires I swore never to succumb to open. However, the reward was too enticing, and so I carefully gave my preferences away. To my total amazement, items I had cherished (probably far, far too long ) were not even included

Apparently, I am the only consumer of the moisturizer I have used for over 50 years, and yes, I do use the same shade of lipstick, even if it is Chanel. Moreover, my favorite designer isn’t even included in the first fifty listed in the range of choices.

That instant becomes your moment of truth. You realize with a jolt, not only have you aged, but so has everything you have traditionally purchased. All the items you have surrounded yourself with are, if not extinct, commercially dead.

Sadly, most women always naively assume we have remained “in touch” wearing virtually the same wardrobe, makeup and continuing to cherish yesterday’s image.

Then we awake with a jolt because, of course, we haven*t.

The gauze on our mirror immediately dissipates, and we awaken to the reality of time and all its penalties.

And it is time to go shopping.