Paul Cézanne, self-portrait c. 1875

Sometimes there are remarkably simple explanations for things which may upset us a great deal. Baldness is one of them. Natural physical changes bother us for two principal reasons.

One is simply that it involves change! We get used to seeing ourselves a certain way. We have to adjust our self-perception as our bodies change. That can be hard, especially after many years.

Another reason that we are bothered by physical changes is that they are generally seen to be a deterioration. Wrinkles, pot-bellies, whitening hair, baldness, age-spots and the like all serve to remind us that we are in a state of decay.

Yet these are superficial things. There are many men and women who take the changes of aging philosophically. They are secure in their identity and are not overly concerned as they observe the changes reflected in their mirrors.

For Reflection:

• Think about your own life and how you know who you are. Is your identity based more on your body image or on inner characteristics?
• You can’t do very much about the physical deterioration that happens to us all with age. What steps could you take to strengthen and develop your inner person?