Half Birthday

So...at the risk of revealing my date of birth, today is my "half-birthday".  Six more months and I will be 50 years old/young/whatever....

I have been acutely aware that this is the year that my body decided to slide from youngish to oldish.  Cellulite, "fat" arms, back fat, rapidly greying hair, the need to purchase reading glasses, an ache in my knee that troubles me on stairs, memory issues, etc have been on my daily radar.  Of course, it probably doesn't help that I go through half a bag of corn chips (unsalted) with salsa every evening.  In past, I simply would have gotten away with it.  Those days are gone.

It is time now to face the mounting challenges:  make peace with a thickening body, make piece with greying hair, make peace with poor reading vision, make peace with occasional aches and pains, make peace with lines and wrinkles, make peace with teeth that look like they are 50 years old.

I hold June Callwood in high esteem for many reasons.  At this point in my life, I am reminded of her comments about her appearance a number of years ago.  I am paraphrasing; however, she stated to an interviewer that "this is what a 60-year-old face looks like".  She taught me then, and I need the lesson now, that it is right and good to accept our aging with grace.  Laugh lines, grey hair. yellowing teeth, and bellies are earned...we really don't need to be the first generation in history to decide that it is all ugly and demeaning. 

It is incumbent upon us all to take care of ourselves and govern our health accordingly.  That said, it is okay to look like 49-and-a-half when one is 49-and-a-half.  Let us leave looking 20 to the 20-year-olds and 30 to the 30-year-olds.  Who are we trying to kid, if not ourselves?

Wondering (and creeping towards the rest of my life...)

Wondering Woman