As I add another year to my existence on this beautiful orb, I find myself reflecting on Aging. Am I Aging Gracefully? No matter how many times I hear that term, I still am not quite sure what it means. I know it's futile to struggle against aging. I know I wouldn't be caught dead in spandex at my age. Come to think of it, I NEVER wore spandex. I don't lie about my age -- I just, um, change the subject. Instead of wolf whistles, I generate "ma'ams". People try to help me load my car in the Home Depot parking lot. I usually let the darn guy do it, then pull it all out and put it back in the right way.
I will have to say that all of my female friends of a certain age are beautiful. Almost all have let their hair turn various shades of gray and silver and don't use makeup. They all lead interesting lives, and are interested in living. And to a woman, they do not complain about aches, creaks, snaps, crackles or pops; they all have a crackerjack sense of humor. Every one. They just get up every morning and do what needs to be done. So, is that aging gracefully?
When I look in the mirror, I am always surprised. I believe that I have myself frozen in my mind's eye at 35. Over the years, I have mastered the art of seeing only what I am looking at - nothing more, nothing less. My left eye, my eyebrow, the spot on my nose....aren't we supposed to be free of those dang spots at this age???
I dress pretty much the same as I always have - simple, classic, comfortable. There may be a little more elastic involved, but nothing is short or tight or high fashion. As a matter of fact, I have not worn a dress in about a year and when, recently, I did manage to climb into one, complete with matching boots, tights and a long scarf, I thought my workmates would drop over from shock.
For all of you classic women out there (my term for a 'certain age'), what's the most noticeable thing to you about getting older? Are you Aging Gracefully? Most mornings, when I get up and let the dogs out and see the millions of stars in the dark sky and hear the soft bleats of the sheep (well, maybe not "soft" - I tend to wax poetic) I mostly think I am Aging Gratefully.
13 comments:
Paragraph #2 - yes, that is aging gracefully. But "aging gratefully"? That's a new one to me, but even better!
Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!
You are aging beautifully. In fact, you are exactly the same age from me as you were last year. Amazing.
Since we're aging together, you will always be the same age to me. Does that make sense? It does to me....
Yes I think we do 'stick' ourselves with an age in our heads. From time to time it may need to be Up'ed not because we are feeling old or looking old, but because we get wiser, seasoned, well lived.
So long as we are happy and healthy and our bodies are in sync with our minds, age is just a date on a piece of paper handed to our parents when we were born, right?
I think you are lovely and wish you an overly joyous HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
I don't feel any different than I did when I was in my 30s. (For which I'm grateful!) Oh, maybe a smidge more frustrated that I still have that gargantuan list of things I want to do . . . and haven't managed to get done yet. Hubby and I have been taking a bit of flack lately about "when are you going to slow down and take it easy, you are getting close to 70, you know!" (He's 69, I'm 67.)
Physically, I've overnight developed my family's inherited trait of floppy wattle under my chin which makes me unhappy whenever I look in the mirror. Anybody feel confident enough to do a quick plastic surgery on me?
P.S. So is THIS your birthday date? The 5th? I wanna write it down so I can send you a cake next year. ;o)
Hmmmm... I do look in the mirror and wonder who that person is, because truthfully the mind doesn't feel any older... I think it stopped at about 30 something for me also. However, the aches and pains, (arthritis in hands, sore back and neck, etc) are there to remind me. I am not graceful-I whine and moan about every bit of it, and as I roll off the couch to get up when I am achy, I am sure I look like my fat, old mini-horse rolling around.
Happy Big day! As Winnie the Pooh wrote, "Hipy Papy Bithuthday!"
Oh, I LOVE the way you termed that.....aging Gratefully. Wonderful.
I have NO regrets about getting older. I can say and do as I please. Well, as much as the joints in my creaky body let me do!
:D
Happy Happy Birthday!
I knew I could count on you girls to back me up!! My birthday falls on New Year's Day. I think there should be a law against it, quite frankly, as you can NEVER forget it. And neither does anyone else who knows you. Blech.
Mama Pea, I don't have the wattle (yet) but I have inherited the Smith family pouchy eyes. If I also inherit their longevity, I guess I can forgive them...;o)
I loved reading your words, and it sounds like you are doing a fine job of aging gracefully! I too, think of myself terminally as age 30, not sure why! It's not that I don't notice the flaws, or that I'm too busy to bother with makeup most days anymore, just that I accept things as they are and focus more on family and getting satisfaction from things accomplished. Although I thought acne went away by age 40... surprise surprise... I guess not LOL! And Mama Pea? You are beautiful and don't look or act your age... I thought younger! You ladies inspire me!
Erin - Where should I send your money?? (Thank you, thank you, thank you!)
Oh, heck, Mama Pea. No one is going to believe you're older than 55. As they say the the neighborhood (my old one, that is) fuggedabowdit.
I've been thinking lately that if I don't completely fall apart in the next three years, I'll think I'll look pretty good for seventy! (OMG, I cannot BELIEVE I'm going to be seventy! But as they say, what's the alternative??)
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