Fifty & Fabulous? You Betcha!
“Being over 50 and female at this time in history is an opportunity richer and more ripe with potential than any other.”
These inspiring words were penned by Jaki Scarcello in the introduction to her wonderful book Fifty & Fabulous: The Best Years of a Woman’s Life. Not only does Jaki start out educating the reader on the many joys of being a woman over fifty, her entire book is filled with insights, motivating ideas, and memorable quotes that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.
Jaki, who is fifty plus herself, decided to conduct a series of interviews to determine how older women viewed their age, their lives, and what they were discovering about themselves once they’d passed their childbearing years. She spoke with women from five different countries who ranged in age from 45 to 102, so her interviews incorporated varying age groups, cultures, and social mores.
Initially, Jaki realized she could divide women in midlife into two groups: those who fought their age and despaired about their future and those who embraced their age and celebrated the possibilities each stage of life brings. The latter group Jaki termed “Women of the Harvest” and dedicated her book to them.
Women of the Harvest are not narrowly defined. In fact, they differ greatly in their outward expression of life. As Jaki wrote: “Some of the women were compulsively active, assertive, and outgoing, but some are quiet and work in much more subtle ways. It is their perspective on life that sets them apart.” She also found one additional marker that Women of the Harvest share—they have a light in their eyes.
I recently interviewed Jaki on Feisty Side of Fifty Radio and invite you to take a listen to this very special 30-minute broadcast. Even though you won’t be able to scan Jaki’s face for the light in her eyes, you’ll hear it in her voice—her words will illuminate your day with their energy and enthusiasm for the bright future ahead.
It is true—being a woman over fifty today is an opportunity ripe with potential. So let’s each vow to reap our unique harvest in ways that feed our souls and enrich our daily lives. I’m fond of saying we boomers are transforming the spirit and style of aging. That we are, and we’re adding a touch of our trademark feistiness to make the years past fifty even more fruitful and, yes, FUN. Without a doubt it truly is a great time to be fifty and fabulous!
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January 4th, 2011 at 9:32 am
Why not go ahead and embrace your age? Honestly, what can you do about it anyway? Unicorn blood is getting just too expensive for most of us. Besides Raquel Welch has most of it anyway.