Age and Glasses of Wine
Should Never Be Counted – Italian Proverb
I think I spend far too much time looking at different sites. I love browsing Pinterest and seeing what my friends and groups are doing on Facebook. Maybe a little Instagram every now and then.
In looking at all of the social media sites, there are a few things that always stand out to me. I, of course, have a board on Pinterest for Aging Gracefully, and, as a Health and Wellness Coach, am in several Health Coaching groups on Facebook. It appears to me that everyone is trying to make aging new and exciting. I continue to read that 60 is the new 40. If that’s the case, what is 40? The new 20? Is that what 40 year olds want to be? And then there’s 50…the new 30. So, yes you got it, 30 is the new 10? An interesting concept. Why does everything have to be the new something. Orange is the new black…you see where I’m going with this. Can’t we just be what we are. Yes, we are living longer, but are we living healthier? There are all kinds of products out there that can lengthen our lives, but how about quality. That is up to us. And I’m not so sure I want to be 40 again. I had a new baby (yes!), chasing the other 2 around, had to have dinner on the table when Dad got home, not to mention laundry, cleaning and never having 5 minutes to myself. Romance and romantic evenings?! I’m not sure when or even how I got pregnant with the 3rd child. Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids and every moment I was fortunate enough to spend raising them. I just don’t need to do it again. The worries now are where is my career going from here, where should I live next, and how long will my hike up the mountain be today. See the difference? Leftovers work, cooking all day Sunday is nice, going to bed at 9, or 11, my decision.
In fact, I don’t think we need to relive any chapter of the aging process. That’s what got us here. That’s what helped us grow and learn. Now, it’s just about when I’m going to see my kids, not how I’m going to entertain them all day. I actually don’t know the public school system yearly schedule anymore. My life doesn’t revolve around spring break, Christmas break and that fabulous 3 months every summer relieving boredom for 3 kids. Now is my time, and I’m alright with that. I also believe that my kids are alright with that! My 50s have been challenging, but they have been mine. I’ve had to find new roads to travel, build a skill into a career that was just a hobby before and learn to take care of me, not everyone else. That’s still one I’m working on. All very challenging, but rewarding too. I’m not at all where I thought I would be at 60, but how many of us are? I imagined sliding into the empty nest arena with bells on. I can tell you there are no bells. Some days there’s nothing at all. But, getting this far has shown me that feeling sorry for myself won’t really help me achieve anything. Let’s just say that from 50 to 60 came in a way very unexpected. I have had to completely rebuild my life from the ground up. Not being one to ask for or accept help easily, that was the first lesson I had to learn. There was no way I could do this one alone. Definitely a story for another time…
All of that aside, I still think this time of life is exciting. I don’t want to be any other age, let alone 30 or 40. Let’s face it, whether 60 is the new 40 or not, it still comes with some aches and pains we didn’t have before, lines and wrinkles that 40 never knew and, for most of us, a different hair color (under whatever color you have chosen for yourself). We are even called Ma’am by most 40 year olds. I certainly can’t wear the things a 40 year old can wear and I don’t mind that either. Let me make this clear…I am 60 and life’s doors have never seemed more open. There is no box, no worry of what my neighbor will think of me and no Joneses to keep up with. Some days it’s hard enough to keep up with myself, let alone the Joneses I don’t know.
I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty happy to be the new 60. No other age necessary. Where are you in the new revamping of the years? Do you consider yourself a different age, older or younger? Or, is wherever you are in life pretty satisfying? What would you change about the perception of aging? Would you change anything?
Until next time
Embrace your Age…It’s Who You Are!
Ann Moore -Health Coach for Women Over 50 