Quick question - Do you look forward to getting older? How about to looking and feeling older?
Chances are if you're a woman over about 20-25 years old you answered 'no' to one or both of these questions. If you don't look forward to getting older, why is that? Why do so many of us go through various forms of panic as we approach 30, 40, 50, or any of the other milestone birthdays? Why are we so insistent on holding on to youth?
Have we not accomplished all we thought we would? Are we dreading wrinkles, gray hair, and other changes in our aging bodies? There's absolutely no question that we've been culturally conditioned to value youth. But, why? Why is the term anti-aging so common place and accepted?
Trust me, you don't want to be near enough to hear my rant whenever I see an add for an anti-aging product. To me it's a sad, sad commentary on our culture. I feel like Morrie Schwartz in Tuesdays With Morrie when he's at a ball game and the crowd is chanting, "We're number one! We're number one!" Then when the cheer dies down enough, he stands up and yells, "What's wrong with being number two?" Except I want to stand up and shout -
"WHAT'S SO BAD ABOUT AGING?"
When I turned 50, I had a big party. I invited pretty much everyone I knew who lived close enough to attend. I was thrilled to hit that landmark. As my birthday approached, one of my dear, dear daughters-in-law came to me and initiated the following conversation.
Her - "Can I ask you something?"
Me - "Sure."
Her, sincerely wanting to understand - "Why are you so excited to turn 50? I don't mean to be rude, but I never met anyone who was happy about that."
Holy guacamole! My excitement wasn't just unusual to her; it was completely out of her range of experience! It wasn't that she had met hardly anyone; up to that point, she had met no one who had been enthusiastic about reaching such a notable day. How disheartening is that?
Sure, I don't look like I did in my twenties or thirties; no, my life hasn't been one, long primrose path of glee, and yes, my body hurts in places it never used to - BUT - I would never trade what I have now - experience, knowledge, inner peace, clarity, a better understanding of the ebb and flow of life seasons, a heart full of love for others because I learned to appreciate and love myself and the life I have. I've earned my age, and I look forward to turning 60, 70, 80, maybe even 90 or 100, and seeing the views from there.
Recently this came across my Facebook feed. Now, I'm not sure, "Female youth is ONLY prized...because it doesn't pose as much of a threat...," but that's likely ONE of the reasons. As for the rest of the post? AMEN, honey! Preach!
Now, that's a revolution I could get behind!
Our younger years and selves have immense value, but they have their place. If we try to hold onto them for too long, we squeeze out the potential radiance and vibrancy we can gain as we age.
Want to know the secret to true beauty for the ages? Embrace your divine feminine (or masculine, as the case may be) power and let the wisdom of age flow into and through you. That's beauty that increases and deepens only with age.