Age Against the Machine

Are you one of those "women of a certain age?" An online dictionary says it means "a person, usually a woman, [who] is no longer young but is not yet old." Well that's me all over!

But it's not all bad news. After all, they say 50 is the new 30. And 60 is the new 40 , 70 is the new 50, and so on. There's no question that we're living longer, but more importantly, we're living better and healthier. But I think "women of a certain age" feel those biological changes more keenly than men, maybe in part because we try our darndest to uphold that popular media image of youthful beauty. Maybe because we wake up one morning and see more and more of our mothers staring back at us in the mirror.

There's no denying that some things definitely change as we age. Getting into our late 40-somethings, a little more wrinkly and a little less svelte, it's like our bodies have thrown us our very own nightmare surprise party. "Surprise! Those pants don't fit anymore! Surprise! That elbow's going to ache all the time now! Smile! Your inner temperature is going to fluctuate faster than the Dow Jones Industrial Average !" Ah yes, the joys of womanhood.

Of course all of this is nothing new to "older" women who've already gone through these changes and have come out the other side just fine, thank you very much. No doubt a good dose of feistiness always helps soften the blow in these matters. I felt a little sucker-punched myself. I just never thought about it happening to me. Sure, my mother had had a rough time there for awhile, but I'd always just thought of myself as "young-ish," somewhat healthy, and pretty much immune to the ravages of time and heredity. Ha! like that old song… "funny how time slips away…"

So I'm changing some things. I've got to exercise in earnest just to maintain my current weight – never mind tackling the extra pounds! I've become more aware of the way I move, stretching before and after activities, not overextending, and being careful with past injuries that could flare up again. And I've resolved myself to the fact that my hormones are going to have a field day with me for awhile. They've had a long run, but they're tired and want to shut down, so they've decided to go out with a bang. My hormones are like a chorus line on the stage of my body, dancing off in a kick-line singing "This is the end of the show!"

The Change sure does sneak up on you. I thought, "Can it really be time to join this club?!" Needless to say, I had no say in the matter – my body "volunteered" me!

At this point I just try to remember that even though I'll never go back to age 30, I don't have to act like anyone else's version of a woman my age. I truly believe that you're as young as you feel. And being a little more honest about the one body we're given, and taking care of it as best we can, we'll surely live longer, healthier, and happier lives. And that's good advice for any age!
Playlist:
1. Older Women – Ronnie McDowell
2. A Peak You Reach – Badly Drawn Boy
3. Reelin' in the Years – Steely Dan
4. The Old Gray Mare – The Skillet-Lickers
5. Getting Old – Lucie Blue Tremblay
6. Man, I Feel Like A Woman – Shania Twain
7. Be Proud of the Gray in Your Hair – Dave Evans
8. Your Mother Should Know – The Beatles
9. Silver Threads Among the Gold – Jo Stafford & The Gaslight Singers
10. Age Ain't Nothing but a Number – Aaliyah