Today (Memorial Day) the public pools here opened for the summer. I frequently sun and swim at the pool in our neighborhood, hiding my eyes behind sunglasses while appreciating the lovely young male scenery. Today I made a sad observation. One of my favorite young men has gone over the hill, so to speak. He has been a presence at the pool for many years, beginning as a little kid, changing from childhood into pre-pubertal boyhood and then into the brief years of beautiful young adolescence, gloriously fit and tan, unmistakably aware of himself in a way that he never was before.
He was back today, inaugurating the pool season with scores of other kids and families. Sadly, though, nature's taken him over the hump. He hasn't controlled his weight, for one thing. He's beefy. His belly has a roll of unbecoming flab hanging over the waistband of his trunks. His voice is a little too commanding, a little too deep. And to top it off, he's got a suspicious shadow on his upper lip.
You were so handsome just after puberty, my friend, so beautiful in your seasons of discovery. Fortunately there's a new crop of guys coming up behind you. I wish you well. You've made a giant leap this past year and clearly left the past behind. How quickly it happened. Oh, I'll still encounter you at the pool, but the moment of perfection has slid out of grasp. You never knew how your youthful beauty blessed me, and suddenly that brief hypnotic post-pubertal handsomeness is gone.
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It definitely happens. Usually around 16. Suddenly there's not a boy in that body any longer.
ReplyDeleteMy nephew just turned 16. He's now 3 inches taller than his mom, amazingly muscular, and has a very deep voice. He's now a handsome young man, always wanting to drive the car. The cute little boy that he was has now passed away forever.
DeleteThe picture attached to this post is a well chosen illustration. The face is still a boy's, but the ripped chest belongs to a mid or late teen. He's two different people at the same time.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I believe 16 is the turning point between cute boyishness and young adult, the pivotal point where everything can change so suddenly. For me, when a boy is 13, 14, 15 that is the pinnacle of beauty.
ReplyDeleteSome very special boys are still cute at 16 to 20 years of age. One boy I first knew when he was 10 and at his current age of 18 he still has that boyish quality that made him so beautiful to me in the first place. I happen to think that although the boyish qualities will eventually fade he will be a very handsome man.
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