“Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old woman she will become. A better artist can look at an old woman and see the pretty girl that she used to be. But a great artist-a master-and that is what Auguste Rodin was-can look at an old woman, protray her exactly as she is...and force the viewer to see the pretty girl she used to be...and more than that, he can make anyone with the sensitivity of an armadillo, or even you, see that this lovely young girl is still alive, not old and ugly at all, but simply prisoned inside her ruined body. He can make you feel the quiet, endless tragedy that there was never a girl born who ever grew older than eighteen in her heart...no matter what the merciless hours have done to her. Look at her, Ben. Growing old doesn't matter to you and me; we were never meant to be admired-but it does to them.”
― Robert Heinlein

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Well done > well said

Wow! That is some great writing!

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Looked it up. From A Stranger in a Strange Land. I gotta go back and read that again. His classic. Must be fifty years now.... (Looked it up. Make that 60. Came out in 1961, although I think I must have read it about 1966 or 67 or so...)

How true. I looked in mirror this AM and did not believe the old guy looking back. Time marches on, they say.

Brought a tear to my eye, thinking of my wife, my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother, all of whom were lovely young women, and all aged so gracefully. My wife, still with me in her 70's, has, and the others even in their dying days, still had the beauty, charm and hopes of their youth in their countenance in spite of their failing bodies. Their most outstanding gift was to make you feel you were the most important person in the world in their presence, even if you only just met them.

My wife, now 80, is still as lovely to me as she was in 1956 when I met her.

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Paul
Salome, AZ

Lovely sentiment. I, too, see Ruthie through the eyes of my youth.

I posted this 3 years ago:

"I call her at work just to hear her voice.

I still glance as she crosses a room.

I often stare at her face as she sleeps.

I still hold her hand while in the car.

I bring her tea when she wakes.

Our wedding photo is the first one I see as I open my wallet.

We still play "footsies" at the table.

"At Last", our wedding song, is our ringtone.

I am a hopeless romantic and completely smitten."

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

My wife and I will celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary next month. She is smart, well educated, has incredible style and taste. Me, not so much. I was a cop and Marine with a Vietnam tour and I worked all sorts of crazy hours and was on call most of that time. Then PTSD and depression appeared on the scene and it was a rough time. She raised our son {45] because I worked 2 jobs and she was a stay at home mom. Our son recently received his Masters from Rice University, so she must have done a good job. We have 2 lovely granddaughters that I spoil way too much{ not possible].

Last night I asked her why she stayed with me through all of this and she stated, I married you because I loved you and I knew marriage was a commitment for good and bad". She said other things that will always be private...........so what day think 18k gold for the big 50 ???

If you are only a "Hopeless Romantic", you are missing out, at age 65 and married 42 years I'm still the "Hopeful Romantic!"

But your old post is the way that us "Very Fortunate" men live!

Ivan

I'll just leave this here, courtesy of my old boss, Randy Ringhaver.

Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760