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My friend and I were once again
debating the downside of middle age. Lately its been
a hot topic of conversation with us. We have a lot in
common. We are both experiencing the middle life
crazies; crazies as in sharing the universal gripes of
dealing with thinning hair, expanding waistlines, and
the realization that gravity is an evil betrayer after
the age of forty-five.
We are compatible in our concern
that half our life is over , while the other half
looks as if all we've got to look forward to is
arthritis and orthopedic shoes.
Who can have a positive outlook
on the future when the view from rose colored glasses
is blurred by cataracts? It is an inevitable fact of
life ~ as you get older you age. Though that may seem
pretty obvious to the naked eye, the heart measures
not by years but by memories. (As you age, they grow.)
Recently I attended a celebration
in honor of a dear aunt's 85th birthday. She is a
remarkable woman who has weathered some of life's most
treacherous storms and managed, with the strength of
God's love, to shine on.
you may be wondering how this
celebration could be uplifting to my meandering
thoughts of menopause.
Well, the truth is, I've been
crying in my Geritol long enough and this reunion of
aunts, uncles, cousins and other family members helped
me to see it.
The guest of honor could easily
pass for a woman 25 years her junior. The years have
been kind for she has hardly changed a bit. From the
twinkle in her pale blue eyes to her biting sense of
humor, she has survived triumphs and tragedies while
never forfeiting her spunk or grit for living.
Looking around the room that day
it was clear to see that time stands still for no one.
Cousins who use to baby sit for
me, once upon a time, are now gray-haired grandparents
who are thriving in the retirement time of their
lives.
I looked up to them as a kid~
they seemed so much older than me at the time.
Being in their company, so many
years later, I once again felt like that little kid,
the essence of the years evaporating like raindrops on
a hot summer's day.
Reaching the status of senior
citizen is not for sissies. It takes real guts to
face the fact that our glory days seem to be behind
us. But, knowing that we wouldn't want to trade this
moment in time, for lost youth, is to wear our age
like a badge of honor.
Which reminds me of my dear
friend and our frequent mid life musings.
I couldn't wait to share with her
my revelations, brought to mind by the 'golden girl'
in our family.
Growing older is not so bad if
you do it gracefully, and especially if you can be
proud of where you've been.
A positive attitude can go a long
way in helping to ensure that the best years are yet
to come.
And after haring an invigorating
afternoon surrounded by the seasoned flair of senior
family members, I just had to share the good news
with my best bud.
We may be getting older but we're
definitely getting better. Ain't life grand?!
(C) Kathy Whirity
kathywhirity@yahoo.com
http://www.heartwarmers4u.com/members?kathyw
Bio
Kathy Whirity lives in Chicago where she shares her
life and love with her husband of 28 years, Bill,
their two children, Jaime and Katie, and two
rambuntious retrievers, Holly and Hannah. Kathy is a
family life columnist for two area newspapers. |
