50 Year High School Reunion: All of these old people and me!
I wasn't the only one who looked fabulous at my reunion, but we were a small minority, very small minority. Why? What was different?
Of course, the first thought was this was Detroit, the midwest and probably it was that more people are overweight in the middle of the country than in overly body-conscious Los Angeles where I presently live. But they weren't overweight, and they didn't have more wrinkles than I. I realized they were dressing like our mothers would dress and had such dated hair styles (men and women) and it was almost like they had made a decision that they weren't supposed to look great anymore.
I was describing the experience to a friend and it feels like we come to a certain age and some people reach a fork in the road of aging and think "60, I am now my mother" and therefore look like their mother (or father) at 60 and then there are others that are being 60 with another alternative, not necessarily looking young, but looking fabulous! It is an unconscious choice most are making, because honestly who would consciously choose a drab existence? However, the other path at this fork is the road less travelled.
I'm not going to apologize for this shallow viewpoint, because it's not shallow. There is more that comes with paying attention to how we look and how we present ourselves. There is an energy and vitality that corresponds to looking our best, and presenting our attractiveness to others. "Letting yourself go" doesn't seem to connote fun, aliveness and inspiration. Nor does trying to look young and overly 'botoxing' !
When I talk about my age and people try to console me by saying, "well age doesn't matter, you're only as old as you feel", my proud 70 year old self, who is has no need for consolation responds with, "Maybe this is what 70 feels like." I'm not looking to be or to pretend to be younger, I'm looking to be healthy, vital and fun and an inspiration of what 70 looks and feels like.
Of course I'm not the only one who is on the less travelled path and though I feel in some situations like I am a groundbreaker, there have been many before. With this blog, I want to make this fork more evident and the choices more accessible.
Saging with Style is not just about looks, it's about wisdom, about igniting curiosity, imagination, wonder and awe.
Of course, the first thought was this was Detroit, the midwest and probably it was that more people are overweight in the middle of the country than in overly body-conscious Los Angeles where I presently live. But they weren't overweight, and they didn't have more wrinkles than I. I realized they were dressing like our mothers would dress and had such dated hair styles (men and women) and it was almost like they had made a decision that they weren't supposed to look great anymore.
I was describing the experience to a friend and it feels like we come to a certain age and some people reach a fork in the road of aging and think "60, I am now my mother" and therefore look like their mother (or father) at 60 and then there are others that are being 60 with another alternative, not necessarily looking young, but looking fabulous! It is an unconscious choice most are making, because honestly who would consciously choose a drab existence? However, the other path at this fork is the road less travelled.
I'm not going to apologize for this shallow viewpoint, because it's not shallow. There is more that comes with paying attention to how we look and how we present ourselves. There is an energy and vitality that corresponds to looking our best, and presenting our attractiveness to others. "Letting yourself go" doesn't seem to connote fun, aliveness and inspiration. Nor does trying to look young and overly 'botoxing' !
When I talk about my age and people try to console me by saying, "well age doesn't matter, you're only as old as you feel", my proud 70 year old self, who is has no need for consolation responds with, "Maybe this is what 70 feels like." I'm not looking to be or to pretend to be younger, I'm looking to be healthy, vital and fun and an inspiration of what 70 looks and feels like.
Of course I'm not the only one who is on the less travelled path and though I feel in some situations like I am a groundbreaker, there have been many before. With this blog, I want to make this fork more evident and the choices more accessible.
Saging with Style is not just about looks, it's about wisdom, about igniting curiosity, imagination, wonder and awe.
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