The sublimity of senescence

Recently I watched a real life scene that made me cringe.
A dwarf woman and her older mother attended a ceremony. They decorated themselves with nice make up, jewellery and clothes. They were enjoying their life to the full extent. I was so happy to see them that way.
But some people observing them criticized them very severely.
Do dwarfs need all those decorations to look good? Why can't she accept her condition and be what she should be like ?
And her mother, who is an old widow, doesn't need all those shiny clothes and  make up.
She must act her age.
A person who is at the dusk of her life should dress like a dying person, not like a person who is in her prime.

Well, who are these people to decide what another person should do with her or his life?
Any human being has only one life. He or she has every right to live and  enjoy it in the way he or she wants.
Some time back I heard a Telugu song.

Ralipoye puvva neeku ragalenduke?
Thotamaali nee thodu ledule
Valipoye podda neeku varnalenduke?
Lokamennado cheekatayaele

which means

You are a flower that is about to fall
why do you want to have good emotions when your husband (the gardener) is not with you?

Why does the day that is about to end ( near dusk)
need beautiful colours ( of sunset), the world is dark!

Hmmm! These words from a poet made me uncomfortable too.

Because of  senescence - the biological process of aging or the gradual deterioration of functional characteristics in cells, tissues, and organisms over time.

Starting roughly in September or October, deciduous trees—species that seasonally drop their leaves—stop making the green pigment chlorophyll, used in photosynthesis. As other pigments become visible, leaves shift to shades of turmeric and crimson before dropping off. By mid-November, most deciduous trees are bare.

That process, called senescence, is a tree's way of conserving energy for winter. As days shorten, less sunlight is available to leaves to convert carbon dioxide from the air into life-sustaining sugars. Photosynthesis, which is energy-intensive, basically becomes more trouble than it's worth for several months.

Although trees in a given locale start changing colour at roughly the same time each year, environmental factors such as temperature and rainfall can affect autumn leaf senescence. For example, more rain during autumn can extend how long leaves cling to trees.

They are at their end of life but still look so beautiful

Cherry Blossoms: These flowers bloom in a breath-taking canopy of pink and white, yet their petals fall and scatter within just a week or two. Other flowers that shrivel in just a few hours exhibit all the splendours of hues.

Sunsets and Sunrises: The sunset which is about to end in darkness looks so beautiful. A brilliant palette of oranges, purples, and golds paints the sky, but the entire display lasts only a few minutes before fading into twilight. 

Rainbows: Formed by the refraction of sunlight through raindrops, a rainbow appears vivid and luminous in the sky before dissolving as the atmosphere shifts.

Morning dewdrops:

Tiny, crystal-like spheres cling to blades of grass and spiderwebs at dawn, catching the light like diamonds until the morning sun warms and evaporates them.

Snowflakes: Each ice crystal forms a uniquely intricate, symmetrical geometric pattern, yet melts the moment it touches a warmer surface.

Chalk or sand art and temporary illustrations: Intricate, colourful murals drawn on pavement or sculptures carved into beach sand are washed away by the next rain or tide.

Childhood moments: Specific gestures, expressions, or stages of a child's innocence pass by quickly, cherished because they cannot be held onto permanently. 

Soap bubbles: Iridescent spheres swirl with rainbow colours floating in the air, catching the light for mere seconds before popping into nothingness.

Food as transient art: To a large extent, the culinary world, especially haute cuisine, celebrates in their creations the transience and the element of fast ephemeral. Especially the more sophisticated dishes are designed more for an aesthetic purpose, while the art of plating is given great importance.

Nature, life , art  and so many other things work in that way.

Wabi-sabi is a Japanese aesthetic philosophy where a part of their beauty lives in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. It appreciates the natural cycle of growth, decay, and death; focuses on the quiet beauty of things that are simple, worn, and transitory. For example, a cracked ceramic bowl or the gradual dying of wood might be beautiful precisely because they inadequately and vulnerably bear the ravages of time. Wabi-sabi assists one in learning to embrace impermanence and attain peace with the change of life that is inevitable.

Memento mori, literally “remember you will die,” reminds of the passing of the very grounds of life. What otherwise would be an aching reason for morbid reflection becomes the inspiration through art, literature, and religious practices to appreciate the present. This makes one reflect on mortality as a means to enhance the beauty and experiences we face each day.

Both of these philosophies expose both the emotional and spiritual sides of evanescent beauty. The reason we have such profound feelings regarding a moment or an object when we know it is to be unlasting is that we know it will not stay, so we had better appreciate it whilst it is here. Whether that of the bursting flower or the shine of golden hour, there is something unique in the knowledge that each one is only transient.

The emotionally triggered response to ephemeral aesthetics is nostalgia and a desire for something ethereal. Ephemeral beauty, which will disappear sooner or later, often provokes such bittersweet emotion: it’s still potentially joyful but always on the verge of ending.