Day 8: Wrinkles, plastic surgery, gratitude for life, meaning in life

This article/video has been floating around the internet for awhile:

http://www.upworthy.com/scientists-discover-one-of-the-greatest-contributing-factors-to-happiness-youll-thank-me?g=2&c=upw1

Basically the video talks about a study they did in which expressing gratitude leads to happiness. I found this interesting for a number of reasons. I've been trying to change my own life lately, and to express more gratitude in order to gain a deeper meaning, and to achieve more happiness.

In the previous post I put up a link to the larger picture of a comic by Bill Watterson (AKA from Calvin and Hobbes). I'll link it again, and it pretty much expresses how I've been feeling.

Go here for the comic: http://imgur.com/r/pics/66DxiHX

I've looking at the wrinkles on my face lately (smiles lines.. no crow's feet yet! phew!), and I've been thinking about how unhappy I've been with them, and how I'm actually starting to get older. I then thought of a friend I have who has had plastic surgery before, and has commented many times that she's a huge proponent for doing all those procedures later when she gets older/now. Actually, if she has enough money now I've sure she'd do more than a few.

I was thinking about how before moving to California, I actually would think this is pretty shameful. It's really not the norm over there, and I don't know anyone that has had anything done. I always believed that there must something deep inside a person that needs to be attended to, if they feel they need to change who they are so permanently on the outside. Why is there such a need to conform so permanently to some societal pressure that will change as society changes?

But now that I've lived in California for over 4 years now, I've realized that I've become obsessed with the way I look, the way I dress, superficial things, money, objects, and have lost that deeper part of me.

I have become complacent about possibly doing something like plastic surgery. Does this mean I have become less judgmental and more open? Or does this mean, I have become more superficial and have lost sight of what's real in life? I mean, I understand that people have differing reasons for wanting to get things done, and of course there is a level of judgement in there. I recognize that. I recognize that I've far far far from perfect, and I'm trying every day to be better. But, I guess I'm putting my own stuff on them. Projecting on them the fear of not believing I'm good enough, and thinking that my reasons would be their reasons.

I used to think wrinkles were beautiful. Like badges of honour that life gives to us because we've lived. We've lived life.

But now I've started to believe wrinkles are terrible, ugly things. That there's a need to wipe out my life, those lines that life represents.

What does it mean? It is perspective? Is it loss of perspective?

Hm.

Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

<3 Namaste