I posted this photo on my Pinterest page of hairstylist Gun-Britt Zeller. I read she was actually born in Sweden but moved to Denmark when she was 10 years old. The typical picture I post on my Pinterest page draws a few likes, a few repins and possibly a comment. Gun-Britt has received 48 58 likes, nine eleven comments and 107 138 repins as I write this.
What makes her so intriguing? She is absolutely gorgeous, but there's no shortage of gorgeous. Her hair is stunning, but there are lots of women with stunning hair, yes, even stunning gray hair. What I think makes her special is her natural look. Is she wearing a bit of makeup? I think so but not much. Her face is slightly aged, and she has lovely wrinkles. It doesn't look like she "filled in" her eyebrows at all. And her lashes look about as sparse as mine.
I'm impressed. Just last week I actually went to Target and spent $10 on fake eyelashes -- the kind that come in little clumps and are supposed to look great on everyone. I looked ridiculous. Ten bucks down the drain and I said, I will just have to accept that sparse eyelashes are OK. Why is looking like a doll the standard? Eyebrows thin as we age, but most of us dutifully fill them in creating this unnatural line that we think helps add definition to our face. Does Gun-Britt's face lack definition?
To me, she embodies a different definition of beauty. I like it a lot. Sure, she's in a creative field and can look any way she wants. I'm not abandoning my filled-in eyebrows and mascara just yet. My tidy sideswept bangs, low pony and classic glasses from my last post are very appropriate for my job.
But you know now ... we women are complex characters. I also like the scrubbed and wavy version of myself with purple glasses. All these years I've been trying to find that one true persona like it was the holy grail. If only I had the right hair, the right glasses and a signature style, well, then I'd have it all figured out. It's a weakness of mine -- always thinking about the destination and forgetting it is the journey that matters most.
When I saw Gun-Brit, I saw possibilities and selves yet to be discovered. The best part is that I don't even have to work at it. Just relax, focus on the journey and see who shows up. Who said aging was a drag?
