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Ode to the skin, an organ system we all take for granted. We pick at it, insult it with sunbathing vacations, and generally don’t think about the cells shedding and growing incessantly all our livelong days.
Never mind we’d die without our skin sac to keep our messy, blobby selves from spilling about- skin is such a visceral pleasure. The soft, estrogen plumped skin of a woman, delicate and fragrant infant skin, even the miraculous calloused hands some of us work into existence. I found myself oddly proud of our 6 yr old neice as she showed me her very first callouses from playing on monkey bars. I have found memories of all sorts of playground injuries and proud battle scars…perhaps our little princess was finally toughening up!
I was lucky enough to spend most of my life gleefully bare skinned in sunshine. My parents were not so thrilled about how I browned “like a Phillipino” but I loved it, and heck I fit right in with my Phillipino best friends back in Daly City. I’ve been mistaken for Native American, Cambodian, and Costa Rican to boot. (cue song “I’m every woman…”) All just fine with me!
But I am edging toward the other side of 30’s now…and realize my skin can no longer handle the thinning ozone and devil may care attitudes. At least not if I still want to get asked for ID a few times a year when drinking.
And I married a man whose natural porcelain tone is the envy of all East Asians, though not to popular in tan-crazy America. P roasted on our very 1st day snorkeling in Belize. With my penchant for travel to warm places, we’ve learned to be excellent skin protecting packers.
These days, I spend an exorbitant amount of $$ on lotions and sunblocks. We both have utterly dorky, yet functional REI hats that have protected us from Thailand and Nicaragua. We have ventilated and light but long sleeved shirts to keep our shoulders from broiling in places like Phnomh Phenh. And man, our annual sunblock ‘n sunglasses bill builds every year!
A perk of being married as well is we can do the full body mole-monitoring scans.
Although I gotta say I still can’t do the Korean style white gloves and welding mask visor when I take my lake walks. Maybe as I approach the other side of 40’s we’ll go there…
I still love the sun, love the bikini lines I develop and the feel of el sol on my skin. But as with all loves, it’s best in moderation. We’re determined to be kind to our hard working skins and keep them supple and healthy as long as can be…so that one day we’ll be the old, not-TOO wrinkly couple, with the big dorky hats walking on the beach.
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