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TIME IN A WOMAN’S PERSPECTIVE
Kathlyn Q. Barrozo
Class of 1991, University of Santo Tomas
B.S. Medical Technology
Time is a woman’s worst enemy, and I am not particularly sure if that’s also true for the male species. Women
have an uncanny tendency to age quickly when subjected to stress, and in this modern era, the sources of
stress are so diverse that age-defying products always make brisk sales. Females are constantly on the search
for the elusive fountain of youth, and will spend as much as they can to get it. Ageless beauty sells, and we
often fall victims to merchants of it. Notwithstanding the hefty price tags they carry, age-defying products will
always find more-than-willing buyers out there.
Trends come and go. That is the beauty of trends-they never really get permanent with time. They only get
revisited and developed further and reshaped. That’s precisely why they are called trends. But the trend for
age-defying products seems to last the longest. Is it because more and more people realize the value of lost
youth only when they get old? Perhaps that is so. Who wouldn’t want to have skin as soft as a baby’s? Or
complexion as supple as a five-year-old’s? What 40-year-old wouldn’t want the face and body of a goddess?
This is why whitening products that are touted to combat skin ageing sell fast in this country. This is why
women are forever on the lookout for various health, fitness and beauty trends that are cited to be all-in-ones.
Unfortunately, products that are advertised as genuinely effective often carry a disclaimer: Results depend on
blah-blah; Results may vary; Users are advised to seek professional advice prior to using blah-blah product. Or
variations of this type. Why can’t we learn to accept that we will all get wrinkled with age? Okay, so there’s
always the argument that we can always try to delay the inevitable as much as we can. But really, is there no
end to all the delaying? And when will we ever know when to stop?
Others might consider these the rants of one whom time has caught up with. That may be true in some
respects, and I honestly marvel at how others can afford to look ageless with time. That, and the even greater
consideration of spending power. I’ve read that a certain screen goddess uses caviar (CAVIAR!) on her skin.
Truly, some women have all the luck and money! And the only fish eggs I have ever seen are inside fish bellies,
you know, those yellow, spindly sacs inside the fish we have for supper. At least, that’s what my mother calls
them: fish eggs. Time is rather unfriendly to us women. What we can always do is delay ageing as much as we
can, but time can and will eventually catch up. It is, after all, the great equalizer.
Questions for Discussion:
1.
Why are women fixated on age-defying products? Is it the result of advertising and media, or something
else?
2.
They say that time heals all wounds. Why do you think this isn’t true with getting old?
3.
What are the most common age-defying products in your country? Why do some products sell faster than
others?
4.
Is there a particular person you admire who ages gracefully? Can you tell why that individual seems to age
gracefully?
5.
What advice would you give to someone who seems totally obsessed about staying young?