Women Over Fifty–Celebrate Your Age!
Forget what society says, what your husband might say, what that voice in your head is telling you: Our attitudes regarding aging are up to each one of us, personal perception forms our world-view and nothing trumps the power of attitude. The world we create for ourselves is a reflection of our own outlook and where we choose to place our focus. In general, if we believe that the world is treating us well, then it will. If we think we are loved, then we are. If we believe that we contribute to those around us and that our existence is meaningful, then we lead lives that reflect these values. So, why spend valuable time mourning the loss of our youth? Who really cares if we’re showing one or two slight signs of age? We might as well be grateful for being blessed with full lives, have a few laughs, enjoy ourselves, and try to change the world for the better.
In Gift From the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote: “We Americans, with our terrific emphasis on youth, action, and material success, certainly tend to belittle the afternoon of life and even to pretend it never comes. We push the clock back and try to prolong the morning, over-reaching and over-straining ourselves in the unnatural effort… In our breathless attempts we often miss the flowering that waits for afternoon.” Her book was first published in 1955 but her words were never truer.
Therefore, let us choose to create and manifest a life of value and substance. Let us thrive during this very special time in our lives and, yes, let us celebrate our age. We were born into a very special generation of women. Our accomplishments were nothing less than extraordinary. We joined forces, mounted our movement, and fought the considerable power of male chauvinists. Despite bumps, bruises, and blows to our ego, we cracked the glass ceiling and did much to liberate women from second-rate jobs and second-class citizenship. We took women out of the kitchen and into the boardroom, exchanged our lace petticoats for tool belts, and went from selling at bake sales to selling on Wall Street. In fact, we go-getting gals accomplished greater strides in the name of womankind than our foremothers ever dared to imagine. And, yes, accolades are in order—we truly did come a long, long way. In fact, we changed the world!
And we are continuing to do so. In fact, hooray for us! We will change the face of aging in this country for now and forever!
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October 11th, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Three cheers for the pioneers! After all that hard, back-breaking, keep your emotions to yourself work, I’m happy to be navigating my 50s and wondering what comes next. I set a goal to receive my black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu by my 60th birthday. Why not?! It’s fun learning something completely new and hanging out with healthy people. I’m living life juicy!
Great post! Just found your site on blogcatalog. Really awesome – I’m off to read another post!
October 8th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Great post Eileen. Someone I know with a degenerative disease once said to me that to live a full life you have to focus on the things you can do, not cling to the things you can no longer do. In the afternoon of our lives we may no longer be able to look youthful or run the same marathons, but there is much to discover about ourselves and the things we can do.
You’re right, this generation has come a long way, and there is still a long way to go.
October 6th, 2009 at 9:57 am
You’re right, getting old takes a certain positive attitude! Except here lately, my body is the one with the ‘attitude’!! I guess it’s mourning the passing of summer….Happy Halloween!
October 5th, 2009 at 9:39 am
My grandma always told me that age was simply a state of mind. My mom taught me that a woman can do anything she sets her mind to. They would be thrilled to hear you echoing their sentiments. And it’s all true. So many of us have more fulfilling lives now than when we were younger. We chose not to be pushed to the background but to stand up and claim what we wanted. Thanks, Eileen, for the reminder that we hold the keys to lives of value and substance. We just need to choose to use them.
October 3rd, 2009 at 6:03 pm
You said it sister! Attitude is not a function of age. It is a function of a life well lived.
October 3rd, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Eileen,
This is one of your most inspiring posts. Everything you say here is true; we just need to take a step back and realize the change we have been in the world, and continue to be.
October 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 am
I love that phrase “flowering that waits for afternoon”. Lest we forget there are also flowers that only bloom once and some that only bloom in the dark of night – a thought to keep in mind when we think “it’s too late, I’m too old”.
October 3rd, 2009 at 9:18 am
Last night was the monthly meeting of my women’s spiritual circle, a group of feisty, like-minded ladies who decided 7 years ago to create a tight-knit support system that includes personal sharing, meditation, prayers, and spiritual education in the broadest possible sense. (We also talk politics, current events, whatever is on our minds.) The youngest among us is a late baby boomer, born in ’64 (age 45). The eldest is 70. What struck me after our monthly sharing was the way all of us are living life to the fullest. To a person, we are all doing our life’s work in one form or another, making a difference, and pursuing the real riches in life. I think that’s tantamount to giving our gifts. I wouldn’t trade this time of life for anything. I see my friends and I coming into our full flower and power. Maybe “flower power” in our rebellious youth was just an subconscious longing for what life finally brings us in the natural seasons of growth.
October 3rd, 2009 at 7:51 am
Hear! Hear!
I love Anne Morrow Lindbergh’s quote. Here’s a quote that I think sums up succinctly what I believe. “I think your whole life shows in your face and you should be proud of that.” — Lauren Bacall. I consider Ms Bacall a very classy woman. I love that I’m going to be 48 this year. And, that I haven’t succumbed to the temptations of surgical improvements or ever will. Even though those “crow’s feet” are now “ostrich feet” and those “laugh lines” that were so cute in the beginning have become permanent fixtures that have created deep twin grooves on either side of my face from my nose to my mouth! And, I swear I’ve plucked more hair from my chin than I’ve ever plucked feathers from chickens when I was a kid!
I’ve experienced the “all girls” must go to business school when they graduate high school speech. And, I was nearly forced to do so. But, I refused and went against my dad’s wishes. At that time, I was nearly disowned!! I joined the US Marine Corps instead. It was there I gained the attitude that I could accomplish anything I put my mind to and I could do whatever I wanted.
And, that’s what I did. I went into a predominately men’s field – computer programming and from there, worked as a Technical Writer for fifteen years until I quit and started my own business. I had become a success because I knew I could do it.
And, I taught my daughters the same thing. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do something.
October 2nd, 2009 at 6:12 pm
You said. “…let us choose to create and manifest a life of value and substance.” THAT IS THE KEY! Life is truly what you make it. You can either sit on the sidelines and call in plays for someone else or you can jump in with both feet and make it happen. It’s always YOUR choice!
Great post.
October 2nd, 2009 at 4:02 pm
So why does it take us so darn long to figure this out?
When I approached fifty it was like the lights finally came on. Maybe it was the magic number that finally smacked me upside the head and said…”hey! Get with it will ya? You don’t have forever!”
Though I can use the excuse that no one really taught me the power of my own perspective and it was a hard won piece of wisdom. I do work overtime now filling my children’s heads with it, so hopefully, they’ll have an advantage over their mom.