The thing I keep thinking about as I'm reading the posts about how important looks are and wouldn't it be such an awful thing in the world to be married to someone you're not attracted to is, what do the people saying this plan on doing when or if that happens?
I caught some faux "headline" today about some boy band heart throb from "back in my day" -- AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys. I liked some of their songs but wasn't into them at all, however, I had a few friends who were NUTS over them, wallpapering their rooms with band's posters and glossy photos.
One thing I've been learning as I go on is that it's kind of funny how time can be the great equalizer. Poor AJ doesn't look like a teen idol anymore. He's apparently bald (at least in the picture I saw,) and looks like a middle-aged dad, which I think he is. And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. But he definitely doesn't look like the fresh-faced "hunk" that my friends were swooning over 20 years ago.
But for the people here who are old enough, look up some recent photos of a teen crush you had from at least 15+ years ago; 20 is probably better. Chances are, they're not going to be the same level of eye candy as they once were. Back when I was in my hometown, it was a bit surreal to occasionally see one of the beautiful, popular kids from my school around town -- and now they have wrinkles, pot bellies, and double chins. I'm not saying that as a criticism -- I'm just saying, looks change drastically.
And if celebrities like Mr. McLean and Britney Spears, who have access to every trick of the trade available in order to stay looking young and beautiful can't pull it off, how could the average person ever expect to do that?
So what happens if you marry someone you might think is super attractive at the time, but, life happens? They have a baby. They lose their hair. They gain 20 pounds and can't seem to shake it. They become ill, and it drastically changes their physical appearance. As much as we try to hold back the hands of time, the creases and lines of the roadmap of our life starts to permanently settle into our faces.
The Bible warns us that outer beauty is fleeting. But yet there is no denying that attractiveness is something that affects every person's decision.
But what happens when the looks we're so attracted to in the moment crumble to dust as the years go by?