But I think one of the reasons so many of us are so afraid of getting old is that in our culture overall, we see overwhelmingly negative examples of how people age. As most people get older, they tend to hold onto their hurts and disappointments, become more discouraged and weighed down by stress, and slowly shut their hearts. Their faces reflect the message of that downward spiral and it makes our own energy drop just by looking at them. Why would anyone want to get older if we’d end up looking like that? But what if our light didn’t go out as we aged? What if we were not only able to retain our joy and hopefulness, our vitality of spirit, but we were able to become more radiant as we grew older? Have you ever seen an elderly person who, despite plenty of wrinkles, you find absolutely gorgeous? This is probably because her heart is still open—she’s not diminished by her difficult life experiences, but enriched.

In her wonderful book, Five Spirits, my friend Lorie Eve Dechar writes about chanel handbags Taoism and how it teaches that the ultimate goal of the human journey is to become a sage, one who has become whole and gained mastery in her life. The original Chinese character for the word sage is a picture of a dancing child. This conveys the idea that a sage is a person who can combine the wisdom of experience with the innocence and spontaneous joy of a child.

This is not a state that you maintain from birth, or somehow restore after you’re grown up. You only become a sage through living consciously, working to learn and evolve as a result of all your life experiences, creating a wholeness that includes all of your suffering, all your broken parts, as well as your triumphs and joys. But we’re not taught how to navigate life in this way. Instead, the models we see are people who grow more negative or discouraged as they age, whose disappointments and stresses accumulate in their systems and block their growth and development. No wonder we’re afraid of aging, if that’s what it’s like!

So how do you do it differently? How can you successfully achieve that state of “dancing child?” You must live your authentic life, one that’s in alignment with your true nature. When you’re in balance within yourself, you can dance with whatever comes your way to New Native Tours. Face reading helps you discover your own  personal chanel map to follow and finally become who you were meant to be.

My knowledge of face reading continues to give me new insights and helps me understand myself in ways that allow me to no longer blame myself for being who I am. Instead I can go through life with a lightness of spirit, and if I do get off balance, I’m able to use what I know to come back to 3Csafe center very quickly. My goal is to achieve “dancing child” status and end up being one sparkly old lady! Want to join me?

If you tell me I look like my mom..

I will move in Asia Hilltribes with my mom. If she’ll take me in.

Things were going fine this morning at juicy couture outlet. Kurt and I said our usual good morning and how are you’s. We somehow got talking about family and that’s when Kurt ralph lauren said “You look just like your mom”. I suppose my silence got him a little nervous so he went on to explain how pretty my mother is and he thinks I am pretty, too. “You look just like your mom did at your age”, were the next words he uttered.

Kurt has been around women most of his life and that’s why it’s unforgivable that he compares me to my mom. Don’t make any mistakes, I love my mom dearly, but do any woman like being compared to their mother, whether it be physically or mentally? For me, it’s just a territory you don’t venture into.

This is when I asked about his past relationships.

Did you ever say “you look just like your mom” to other women in your life? No. He said he didn’t. Except to one’s sister but “she was skinny”. Oh. Cool.

This sounds dumb but I look at my mom as being MOM. I don’t really see her as a woman, so I don’t look at her in any way other than being my mom. That’s highly selfish, I know, because she is so much more than a mother. She is, of course, a person in her own right. I understand that other people view her differently than me; some see her as a daughter, some as a sister, some as a beautiful lady, some as a good friend.

I have yet to meet a woman who likes being compared to her mother. If you’re a woman who loves it, please leave a comment. I’d like to hear from you!

So what’s the big problem? I’m not sure. I love my mother. Still, I want to look differently and act differently than she does. I know I am probably more like her than I like to admit and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just the reminder I don’t like. Is there just some special unidentifiable thing between mother and daughter? Is it Freudian? Is it jealousy? You often hear of mothers being jealous of daughters, of daughters having huge issues with their mothers, even when the mother is a perfectly good parent.

I ended the conversation with Kurt by saying “It’s alright, don’t ever do it again..and this is nothing some chocolate and a brand new laptop won’t make up for”.

He laughed and promised not to do it again..and then went “But she is really beautiful, you know..and so are you.” Thus going back to his promise to me. He just doesn’t get it.

Men out there: Have you ever told a partner “you look like your mom”? Or “you act like your mom”? How did she react?

Women: Do any of you like to hear those words? What’s the problem with it? Or..why is it not a problem?

Like Mother Like Daughter

When American Profile asked readers to send us photographs of look-alike mothers and daughters, along with a brief description of how these uncanny resemblances influence their lives, we received hundreds of submissions detailing this unique family bond.

When American Profile asked readers to send us photographs of look-alike mothers and daughters, along with a brief description of how these uncanny resemblances influence their lives, we received hundreds of submissions detailing this unique family bond. Many described being mistaken for sisters or twins, while others mentioned how the outward resemblances reflect inward similarities. Some photographs made us wonder whether human cloning already exists. Of course, one emotion was apparent in every letter—an enduring love for a family member who has shaped the other’s life. Here are excerpts from a sampling we received.

“Everything I do is impacted by the fact that I look so much like my mother. Everyday I am reminded that I am her daughter, whether it is by someone I don’t know approaching me (thinking I am her) and watching them realize after a few minutes that I am not her; or when we both come home at the end of the day wearing matching outfits, without ever planning to . . . Resembling each other has made us closer than many mothers and daughters, and for that I am thankful.”
—St Augustine of Hippo Courtney Clayshulte, 21, of Mesilla, N.M., daughter of Beverly Clayshulte, 48, also of Mesilla

“As a young girl, it was always comforting to look into the face of my mother and see her eyes (my eyes!) looking back at me and cheering me on as I found my way. As I have grown older, she still cheers for me, and her eyes are still as beautiful, but it is her soul that has me captivated now. Her gentleness, her ease with people, her deep faith, her loving heart, and her radiant spirit . . . these are some of the look-alike traits I would be honored to share with her one day as well.”
—wxCL Dalaina Caye Randolph Harrell, 42, of Shelby Township, Mich., daughter of Caye Cannon Randolph, 62, of Rochester, Mich., photo by John Meiu
“I have been told my entire life that I look exactly like my mom. I have always taken this as a compliment as she is a beautiful woman . . . I teach middle school and when my mom came to visit, my students were surprised to find out I had a ‘twin sister’ that I had never told them about.”
—Christy Combs, Yohannes Wijaya, 35, of Phoenix, Ariz., daughter of Rosie McClellan, 56, of Fairfield, Iowa
“I admire my mother so much. Because I look so much like her I feel I must maintain the dignity and strength that she has, and it must be reflective in me and in the life I lead.”
—Delores Hodges, 58, of Columbia, Md., daughter of Dorothy Haslerig, 82, of Chickamauga, Ga.

“My daughter and I look a lot alike. People tell me that it looks like I gave birth to myself. I feel lucky that God gave me a healthy child and that she looks just like me. My daughter gets tired of people telling us we look alike, but at times I know she enjoys hearing it too. I believe that it has brought us closer and I enjoy seeing myself in her.”
—Sara Marquez, 34, of Albuquerque, N.M., mother of Tylor Romero, 13

“This amazing girl never ceases to light up my life. It’s a delight to be so much alike—both inside and out! Pimp Your Myspace!”
—Charlene West, 48, of Modesto, Calif., mother of Megan West, 21, of San Luis Obispo uindy soccer camps, Calif.

“She has a heart of gold, a nurturing and philanthropic nature, a wisdom way beyond her world experiences, a never-ending optimistic spirit, a joy in her heart and a song on her lips . . . She has inspired me to be the best I can be, to treat others as I’d like to be treated, to help rather than hinder, to be a good friend, mother and wife, and to inspire others not only by instruction and leadership, but in the very way I conduct myself and lead my own life.”
—Cristy S. Moore, 58, of Henderson, Nev., daughter of Carolyn Criswell, 77, of Burnettsville, Ind.

“Both of our children (both daughters) were ‘special ordered’ (adopted) . . . After we lost our older daughter in a car accident and Emily grew into a teenager, the two of us began receiving occasional comments from total strangers, ‘Of course, that’s your mother! You look just like her!’ . . . It has given Emily and me a smiling tie that even though we know we don’t look identical, there is a look about us that says we belong to each other.”
—Candy Roberts, 51, of Bartlesville, Okla., mother of Emily Roberts Burkinshaw, 21, of Provo, Utah

“I take pride in looking like my mom. I really look up to her and think she is a beautiful woman. I can only hope to aspire to be like her someday in the future.”
—Sara Slear, 21, of Lewisburg, Pa., daughter of Laurie Slear, 44, also of Lewisburg

” I never realized how much we looked alike until one night when I was home alone. I walked by a mirror in our house and jumped because I thought it was my mom . . . We seem to like to do many of the same things. Together we enjoy scrapbooking, jewelry making, wood splitting, camping, dirt-bike riding and just spending time together. My mom is my best friend and I am proud to look like her on the inside and outside.”
—Rachel Stuewer, 18, of Columbiaville, Mich., daughter of Pam Stuewer, 44, also of Columbiaville, photo by Kevin Keel

“Since Maggie was born, I’ve heard exclamations of shock from strangers, family and friends. But even I didn’t realize our alike-ness until my father commented, ‘I wasn’t ever sure if I believed that genes were passed down through the leather handbags generations. But now I am convinced without a doubt.”‘
—Jodi Del Re, 35, of Northborough, Mass., mother of Maggie Del Re, 5, ugg boots photo by Marshall Wolff
“It doesn’t matter if I am in my small town of 500 people or if I am in the Twin Cities, there is always someone who will come up to me and ask, ‘Aren’t you Ginger’s daughter?’ It occurs so often that my mom had a shirt made up for me this Christmas that says, ‘Yes—I Am Ginger’s Daughter.”‘
—Kari Bjerke, 22, of Clearbrook, Minn., daughter of Ginger Brusewitz, 47, also of Clearbrook, photo by Rebecca Larson

“Tasha and I have always been close and I can honestly say she is like the sister I never had and truly my best friend as well as my daughter.”
—Carol Schmidt, 53, of Salina, Kan., mother of Natasha Porter, 32, of Grandview, Mo.

“Whether we are grocery shopping louis vuitton handbags or at the mall, people constantly tell us how much we look alike and also ask who does our perms. Sorry, the curls are all natural for both of us. It warms my heart when people say she is a ‘mini-me.”‘
—Cindy Bujanovich, 43, of Hales Corners, Wis., mother of Danielle, 5