Anti-ageing

‘Any worries about your skin’s appearance?’ the beautician asked. I was about to enjoy a Christmas present, a facial and head massage.

Now if I had lesions or suspicious moles or something, I might be worried. The beautician continued with a question: is your skin dry or oily: I had no idea. Combination sounded safe. I obviously don’t spend a lot of time looking at my skin.

She proceeded with the facial. After the luxurious treatment with oils and potions and even coconut oil in my hair, I was relieved when the young Spanish woman did not hit me with a big sales pitch, but just explained their ‘deals’ if I wanted to come back. She particularly highlighted the anti-ageing collagen treatment for a mere £60. I smiled and left.

People check out each other’s appearance, God says in the Bible, but he looks at the heart.

Time

Time – a gift to be managed well.

Today is one of those very rare days when I have no outside commitments and find myself alone.

I have a lengthy to-do list of course, but complete freedom to pick and choose the order in which I do things. There are things I’m looking forward to, and things I’m dreading, or at least longing to give the slopey shoulder to. But at least I’ve started the day in such a great way: an hour with God (my new year’s resolution, second day I’ve managed...) clipping out a few of the dead branches in the garden (while it was sleeting...), and a walk with Dusty.

A walk with Dusty. What a gift that is. Though my foot continues to nag me with pain and cause me to limp, the saintly Mrs Ferres worked her wonders on it yesterday and gave me great hope. In her 89^th year, Mrs Ferres still rises before the dawn to paint her watercolour pictures which are then made into notecards and calendars and sold for local medical charities. Then she spends her days massaging sore bodies. She’s had so much experience; a sage nod of her head and solemn, ‘Yes’, as I describe my injury fills me with peace. I’m with someone who KNOWS what to do.

Half an hour of Achilles massage, and a few stretches and twists later, and she declares it should now all right itself. 

The walk this morning, therefore, though still a bit of a limp, still a bit slow, still a bit painful, was one lit by the light of hope, that the walk itself would be doing the injury good, not harm. 

So, another walk later today, after writing a few thank you’s and thinking of you’s: yes, on notecards purchased yesterday from Mrs. Ferres.

And a hope that today, I waste no time.