CHARACTER LINES

Vintage Barn Wood, Summerfield, NC

A Facebook friend recently posted the sentiment that a scar shows that the hurt is past, the wound is closed, you have endured the pain and God has healed you. I can certainly relate after open heart surgery, two knee replacements and various small scars scattered about my exterior surfaces. And of course, the sun and years slowly erode the plasticity of your outer shell resulting in random wrinkles forming here and there.

Pat Boone was one of the teenage heart throbs growing up in the fifties who represented the antithesis of Elvis Presley. Pat’s image was that of the straight “A” college fraternity guy while Elvis carried the banner of rambunctious “rock ‘n roll” rebels. Pat crooned Love Letters in the Sand while Elvis rocked You Ain’t Nothin’ but a Hound Dog!

Pat’s daughter Debby recorded a Grammy and Oscar award winning song in 1971 titled You Light up my Life which was a huge unrivaled success at the time. Debby, bless her heart, is now fifty seven and the official spokesperson for Lifestyle Lift, an organization that promotes facial surgeries that attempt to counter sagging skin and wrinkles. She hosts a 30 minute infomercial promoting the benefits of face lifts while her biggest hit song pervasively echoes in the elevator’s background. She never mentions that she has actually used the services she promotes. Some people light up a room by entering; some by leaving. I’m not sure that a face lift would make any difference.

I personally have absolutely no intention of ever using Debby’s paid for advice. I have always and always will maintain that each of the scars and wrinkles that I’ve acquired over time were individually hard earned. Life happened and I paid for each and every one of them through blood, sweat and tears. I’ve never considered them in any negative way, but as the vestiges of a life well lived and the character lines that they truly represent—like uniquely aged vintage barn wood!