When he saw his elderly wife on TV with a famous Hollywood star, the husband, who made fun of her gray hair and wrinkled skin, was suddenly shocked.
One night before bed, Peter Gill made a joke: “I’m removing the dresser from our bedroom.” “You’re too old to wear makeup anymore. Is there a concealer that can effectively hide wrinkles? Haha!”
Fifty-nine-year-old Brooke Gill was used to her husband making fun of her like this. Peter was charmed by Brooke’s allure when they fell in love decades ago in college. But right now he often made fun of her worn appearance.
One day, a grieving elderly lady convinced her husband that beauty is only skin deep when she appeared on television alongside a famous star.
In her day, Brooke was the woman of many men’s dreams. Peter, her current husband, was the only man she fell in love with.
The couple enjoyed many years of happy marriage and had five children, all of whom were overseas.
“Are you in a relationship?
You wear too much makeup these days. But who in the world would date an older woman like you and be blind?
Hahahahaha.
Brooke decided to continue working even though Peter decided to retire too soon. She kept busy with work while getting old and running a real estate company.
Every day when Peter teased her appearance, she would sob herself to sleep. “I wonder what you’ll look like in a doll…with your gray hair and wrinkled saggy skin…hahaha!” he pranked her one night.
At sixty-one, Peter saw age only as a man’s number. He often made fun of poor Brooke, saying, “Women are supposed to be beautiful, not us men.”
Peter never stopped laughing. Every day he had an idea of his wife’s appearance. One day, he nearly took their dresser out of their bedroom, which devastated Brooke.
She sobbed, “But I need it to get ready for work!” Peter gave her a sly smile, which made him laugh even more at how ancient she looked.
“Darling, who’s going to look at you? Just take a look at you… No mirror is needed to fix that droopy face! Haha!”
Brooke was hurt. That day, she went to see her good friend Lily, a psychologist, on her way to work and confided in her about her sadness.
“He’s always commenting on how I look,” Brooke cried. “I’m devastated and I’m afraid it will affect our marriage.
Lily listened to Brooke and comforted her.
Then she held up the magazine to her.
“Beware, these women are significantly older than you. How about reaching out to this modeling agency and giving it a try?
Looking through the catalog, Brooke was taken aback.
Pictures of several older ladies made her question her age. Are they really that much older than me? They look much younger,” she cried.
However, Brooke secretly doubted her ability to succeed as a model. She smiled as she looked into the small mirror in her purse. “This is not something I can do…I’m too old. I’m just not capable of it.”
That’s when Lily gave her motivation. “Forget your age when you feel driven to act…”It’s just a number,”
Brooke heard Lily’s words of encouragement echo. “WHY NOT???” was her thought after giving it some serious thought.
She met the main agent of the modeling agency by going there secretly.
“Fascinating reading! I promise you look amazing,” the woman exclaimed. “We want the world to know that beauty knows no age…Greetings from Ms. Gill to your new world of fashion!”
The agent’s remarks gave Brooke courage. On the same day, she enthusiastically started her hidden modeling career. She went to the agency every day after work to model for various photo assignments. She quickly rose to the top of the modeling world, doing make-up and fashion shoots for a number of renowned brands.
It started to worry Peter when she started coming home later than usual, despite her glowing skin and cute hairstyles. One evening she came home smelling nice.
She glowed and radiated confidence. It bothered Peter.
He asked her, finding it awkward, “Are you dating anyone?”
Brooke froze in shock. She replied, “What did you just say?”
“Haha… I was just wondering… You’re wearing a lot of makeup today,” Peter said. I mean, who in the world would date an older lady like you and be blind?
Hahahahaha – “Me
Brooke was devastated by Peter’s words. That night she skipped a meal and sobbed herself to sleep.
Peter saw that her side of the bed was empty the next morning. “Where did she go without making me breakfast?”
He turned to check on Brooke, but she was nowhere to be found. That was Peter’s day off. He tried to contact his wife, but she never returned his calls.
Peter was furious. “Wait until you get back, you silly old man.
Peter made his breakfast and then turned on the TV just to stay tuned to the fashion station.
It showed an elderly woman walking around a well-known Hollywood star who was the guest of honor. And Brooke was right next to him!
“BROOKE? He yelled, ‘WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING ON TV?’
“Okay, ladies! What made you want to become a model?” Gill, it’s your turn!” the host announced.
Peter stared in disbelief as Brooke accepted the microphone. “My husband made me do it,” she said. “They believe that beauty is only about a woman with soft velvety skin and gorgeous hair.”
A zoomed in on Brooke’s teary eyes. Does aging cause love to wane? “Why are people so fixated on superficial beauty?” she exclaimed.
“To the men who think women belong in the kitchen, NO WE DON’T!” Brooke continued. “And to those husbands who feel your wife’s wrinkles and gray hair are an embarrassment, LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND THEN SPEAK UP!”
Peter felt very hurt by the conversation with Brooke. “What have I done? He sobbed, “How could I treat my dear wife so rudely?
Later that night, he planned a surprise for Brooke to make up for his decision to apologize.
When she returned, Brooke saw that her home was completely dark. “Peter?” “Are you at home?” she exclaimed. But no one answered.
At that moment the lights came on and a wave of streamers appeared. “Peter commented, “I’m very proud of you, honey.” “I’m sorry.
Brooke felt moved. Peter then brought her into their bedroom where he revealed a surprise.
“Oh my god! This is amazing!” Brooke squealed in delight when she discovered a new dresser decorated with designer cosmetics.
“I’M SORRY BABY!” Peter said with a kiss on Brooke’s forehead.
He was quite proud of his wife and stopped belittling her age after that day.
What lessons can we learn from this story?
Be careful what you say. At times they can damage and destroy relationships. Unbeknownst to Peter, he often made fun of Brooke’s gray hair and wrinkles, breaking her spirit.
Before you make fun of someone, stop and think. One day it may come back to you. Peter made fun of Brooke’s looks, but little did he know that she would become a famous model and address his taunts on TV.
To read about how a young man fell to the ground after mocking his 62-year-old mother in front of his friends, click this link. The boy also talked to his neighbor the next day.
This story serves as a powerful reminder of the impact words and attitudes can have on relationships. Peter Gill’s repeated mocking of his wife’s age and appearance seemed harmless at first but ended up contributing to Brooke’s emotional distress. It wasn’t until Brooke found her own path to self-confidence and self-esteem that Peter’s realization hit him hard. His shock at seeing Brooke on TV and his subsequent efforts to make amends highlight a crucial lesson: respect and kindness should be at the heart of any relationship.
The story highlights the importance of being mindful of how we talk to and about our loved ones. Our words can deeply affect others, sometimes in ways we don’t fully understand until it’s too late. Peter’s journey from rejecting Brooke’s beauty to celebrating it is a testament to the transformative power of self-acceptance and mutual respect.
Basically, this story teaches us to love and uplift the people around us, rather than devalue them. Relationships thrive on support and empathy, not superficial judgments. Peter’s eventual apology and celebration of Brooke’s newfound success remind us that it’s never too late to change our ways and show our loved ones the respect they deserve.