makeup=make up? / 化妝=虛構?

最近因為被批評邋遢，讓我想到了英文裡化妝品的說法makeup，轉換成動詞片語make up，就變成「虛構」的意思，我和學生討論兩者之間究竟有否關聯，有人說，化妝等同於創造出新的一張臉，又有人說，化妝其實是物理整容，我倒認為，雖然是可還原性的變化，但是每天要花上半個小時整理門面，長期下來也是很浩大的工程。

I was criticized as “sloppy” lately by people who don’t really know me well. This reminds me of the word “makeup.” If turned into a verbal phrase, “make up” means to create something out of nothing. I asked students if there is any connection between the two. A girl said that makeup is synonymous to coming up with a new face. Another girl said that makeup is actually physical change of plastic surgery. In my opinion, even though it is reversible, we end up spending a considerable amount of time on it in the long run.

我對化妝這件事沒有意見，畢竟每個人選擇用自己的方式面對世界，在路上瞥見精雕細琢的美女時，我的目光無疑地也會被吸引，我比較怕的是，化妝久了之後，我們認不得自己原來的樣子，而歲月的痕跡是無所遁形的，我發現再怎麼努力，白頭髮始終比我早一步，皺紋在不知不覺中形成一條條蜜粉的溝渠，如果要執意反抗，這就是一輩子的戰爭。

I don’t have any objection to wearing makeup. After all, everyone chooses their way in facing the world. I have to admit when I catch sight of beautiful women whose charm is further enhanced by cosmetics, I can’t take my eyes off them. However, what worries me is, after getting used to hiding behind the masks, we can’t recognize how we really look. Traces of age are powerful in their silence. No one can be exempted. I realize that no matter how hard I try, gray hair always pushes out earlier than I want it to and wrinkles form ditches of loose powder with time passing. If we insist on fighting against nature head-on, this will be a lifelong war.

與其把這些痕跡遮掩起來，不如想要如何把它們美麗地展現出來，因為在我的經驗裡，逃避終究會引向全盤崩潰，然後就是面對的大課題了。

Instead of covering the “flaws,” why not face them and show them in presentable and creative ways? In my own experience, escape will only lead to total collapse, and then we will have to deal with the huge life lesson of confronting our fear…