Anna Quindlen has come out with a new book, "Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake," a memoir about her life from the vantage point of almost-60. I heard Teri Gross's interview with her last night, while I was throwing away vegetables that didn't get cooked to make room for new ones that might not, either. I thought AQ would understand.
Loved what she said. She's a stalwart feminist of my generation, a sensible mother, a long-time (realistic) wife. Great, great, great.
Then Teri asked about cosmetic enhancements she's had done to her face. Oh, yes! Even Anna Quindlen! Well, she's had Botox to plumb the scowl lines between her eyes and "filler" pumped into lines around her mouth. She did this, she says, so she wouldn't look "grumpy," because she doesn't feel grumpy. It boiled down to a reason I've heard before from aging women having cosmetic surgery/procedures: "My outside didn't match my inside."
Oh, honey, me, too! I've got a pair of vertical lines between my eyes and hook-like wrinkles framing my mouth. Bummer. I've even investigated having my droopy eyelids hiked up, which would have meant an eyebrow lift costing $4,000. It was tempting.
But there's a fallacy in the argument that you want your face in repose to reflect how you're actually feeling. Where do you stop? I have a friend who said on her 90th birthday that she felt "about 18!" Thank God she didn't have surgery or procedures to reflect that. She would have looked ridiculous.
So, Anna, do what you want--I'm totally pro-choice on this-- but let's call it for what it really is: Vanity. And a losing battle with every tick of the clock.
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