It happens to all those who do not die prematurely, in the green of the years. One fine day, we look in the mirror and discover different signs on the face map.

They are small folds. Furrows that appeared as a result of certain repeated facial movements, such as, frowning.

They point out our early aging process. More important than that, they are the living record of the history of our life, of the events that became joy, worry or sadness, over time.

It was the years, with its tiny fingers, its delicate brush, that sculpted those paths on the forehead, like parallel lines, speaking of the many difficulties experienced.

If we think about it, we can remember when they first appeared: when unemployment marked the months and the bills started to rise.

When the child was born premature, requiring special care. When the night hours demanded intense studies aiming the contest.

And those two verticals, above the nose, between the eyes? Ah, these were marked heroically in the days of concern when taking up the new position, when changing residence, when the son needed surgery and the nights became sleepless hours.

And those deep creases, on both sides of the mouth, tell how many times we smile, laugh with friends or alone.

We smile when we receive confirmation of victory in the entrance exam, when we get married, when our team won the championship.

And when the promotion came, when we were awarded a salary increase, when we watched a movie, when we were offered a surprise party.

These marks are capricious. They not only appear there, they appear in the corners of the eyes, in whimsical lines, tiny, at first. Accentuating themselves afterwards.   

Yes, every wrinkle, every crease has a story. It speaks of an experience.

We can remove them, change them, soften them with surgical procedures, with implantation of botulinum toxin, creams, moisturizes. So many shapes.

We can take them out, we can disguise them, we can...

Somehow, we resemble those trees that, each year, produce a ring on their trunk. We count the rings and we can estimate their age.

We accumulate wrinkles that testify to the years lived on this blessed planet.

Someone beside us, who loves us, will observe them and say that they know the exact moment when each of these marks was drawn on our face.

They will be able to even say that they love each one especially.

If we want to soften, mitigate or even remove them completely, we will no longer testify to our age, by the marks on the face.

And, like those trees that add a ring internally each year, only our intimacy will count the experiences.

It will be, then, our way of acting that will tell us if the years have matured our reasoning, intensified lucidity and common sense.

With wrinkles on the face or not, let us hope that the years we live will be of progress, spiritual growth for each one of us.

Because living on Earth is a unique opportunity, which deserves all and special effort.  

Spiritist Moment Team.
December 2.2020.