When you reach a certain age, people
congratulate you for the darndest things. Let me explain. I am an older woman who decided to return to
college. My life has been full: complete with failed marriage, children and an erstwhile
career as a dance teacher. I thought it would be a good time to go back and get
that college degree. I went to college many years ago to study dance, but now
want to teach in elementary school. So here I am, often the oldest person in
the classroom studying things that are new to me. I hear this comment a lot.
“Wow, I really admire you for going back to school at your age”. Statements
like that stop me in my tracks. Abruptly, I am smacked in the face with my
years. Here is what runs through my brain when the young’uns hand out praises
they think I’ll appreciate. “Hey, just how old does this person think I am
anyway? After all, I am not decrepit….yet”. Truth is, I am hoping to never be
decrepit. I know they mean well, but going around congratulating myself that my
middle aged brain can still operate is not part of my schematics. The older you
get, the less you have to actually do, to get admiration. At eighty I will
probably be congratulated for being able to find the toilet by myself. When I
am ninety people will say things like, “She still seems sharp as a tack”, as I
shuffle down the aisle to find the TV room at the old folk’s home. I think I
would like to redefine aging here. I am not feeling older! I don’t even think
about it. I like current music and wear current fashions. I dance like mad
every chance I get. In fact, I am
considering signing up for a pole dancing class. Really! It is a great way to
exercise. Will I be the oldest lady in the pole class? Maybe, but I won’t be
thinking about it in those terms, until some young creature says “hey, I really
admire you for taking a pole dancing class, at your age”. Smack me in the face!
I would really like to just forget that number that tells how many years I have
been around. Let’s all redefine this aging thing and do whatever we want. Be
smart, be sexy and live fully and forget about the number of years you have
lived.
Wow, that really summed up how I feel. I will be 49 in January and I could be the mother of most of my classmates. They have a really hard time understanding why after having a successful career I would want to change thing. I love the last line of your blog. "Be smart, be sexy and live fully and forget about the number of years you have lived." I think I may still this and use it as my own motto... Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteKelly, thanks for perspective! My mind still feels twenty while my body is getting older. I admire anyone who goes back to school after having a career, children, marriage, etc. It should not matter their age. We are all in the same boat so I know we can all relate. If we all have your attitude we will be just fine and we will have no problem finding the TV room or the toilet when we are 80+!
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