It’s funny how I can look back to photos of myself as a young man and wonder why I had problems with what my body looked like. I don’t think I actually would have been diagnosed as dysmorphic, because I didn’t feel severe distress or have trouble functioning, but I was generally quite self-critical of my body, even when objectively speaking there was nothing “wrong” with it.

Oh, but now!

So here’s a little side speculation that doesn’t really directly impact your story, but what about us folks who are getting on in years?

My face is deeply lined in places and sags in others. Skin on my body that used to be generally tight and elastic is now visibly, well … let’s just say it’s not horrifying but it’s far from aesthetically pleasing.

I can control certain things about my aging appearance, but by no means all. Sometimes all I can do is make sure some parts of my body are covered up, parts I would not have covered up when I was younger.

I deeply feel the disapproval of people who criticize us older folks for looking wrinkled and ugly, or I guess more specifically for daring to display wrinkled skin and other things considered ugly.

And this is something I guess I’m not ever going to stop feeling “tired of" because it’s only going to get worse not better.

Not sure what to do about that, but it’s an issue worth facing up to.