Beyond Wrinkle-Free Skin

We have grown bewitched with the art of looking young,

Of flawless skin and faces untouched by time.

We chase the glow, the smoothness, the perfect hue,

As though beauty were a thing the years could undo.

A thousand steps to preserve a youthful face,

A thousand promises of beauty, youth and grace.

Yet, in this endless pursuit of perfection,

Have we forgotten beauty's true reflection?

We worship the skin, the face, the fleeting glow,

While neglecting all the things that help us grow.

We tend to the surface, so carefully and well,

But what of the deeper things that dwell?

Care for your heart, your liver, your lungs,

The words you speak, the songs you have sung.

Your body is more than the face you show;

There is so much more to nurture and know.

For beyond the skin, beyond the face,

Lies a beauty untouched by time's embrace.

A beauty that no mirror can reveal,

A quiet grace that only the heart can feel.

Let the years pass; let the fine lines appear,

Let silver strands replace the colours of yesteryear.

Let time leave its signature upon your face;

There is no shame in growing older with grace.

For what is beauty if not the kindness we impart?

What worth is flawless skin without a beautiful heart?

A face may capture a fleeting gaze,

But a gentle soul earns love that stays.

The smoothest skin will one day crease,

And youthful eyes will lose their ease.

But compassion, once sown, will continue to grow,

Leaving traces of love wherever we go.

So tend to your body, but nurture your soul.

Let kindness and empathy make you whole.

For beauty is not in the years we defy,

But in the warmth we leave as the years pass by.

And when the mirror no longer reflects the face we knew,

When time has painted our hair a different hue,

May we find that the loveliest thing we ever wore

Was not flawless skin, but a heart that gave more.

For faces may be admired, and youth may be praised,

But it is the kindness of a soul that time cannot erase.