It’s my 64th birthday and I have a few thoughts to share about aging. Lessons learned, for sure.
Living all these years taught me many things and the first is this: I’m grateful to be here. Every day I’m reminded what a privilege it is to walk this earth and how many are denied the opportunity to age. So, even as I curse the gray hair at my temples that peeks through my professional hair color all too soon, I am awed and amazed that I’m here to bitch about it.
A few things about maturing and change.
I’m still a morning person and WYSIWYG girl (What-you-see-is-what-you-get.) I’ll still never understand why people hurt other people or animals. I’m still amazed at how much fear there is in the world, fear people have of others different than themselves. And the increasing hysteria they have at an evolving world is remarkable.
The world is still a bit of a strange place to me and I’m still someone on the outside looking in. Sort of like an anthropologist. And I’m still someone who, upon first meeting, others will exclaim, “She’s so smart!” instead of “Great tits!” Yeah, it was a real frustration when I was younger because truly, I’m not that much smarter than the average bear. Oh, ok, maybe smarter than the average bear. Even so, I have great tits. They’re real, too. Just sayin’.
I’m getting better at setting limits, eliminating rude and hurtful people from my life and requiring reciprocity in friendship. People tell us everything we need to know about them pretty early on, if only we’d listen. I know my gut instinct is almost always right and I’m getting better about trusting it.
My friends don’t have to be perfect, they just need to have good hearts.
Our AARP renewal came the other day, offering three renewal term options: 1 year / 3 years / 5 years. This created a bit of a dilemma. At any other stage of life, I’d renew for five years, the best deal. At this age, I stopped to think, then told my husband to renew for three years. Later, he told me he’d signed us up for five, a surprise, since I’m the more optimistic one. At this age, we evaluate everything in terms of longevity. As I told someone pitching the 30-year durability of something, “We’ll be in “the Home” long before then.”
Happy, happy birthday to the smartest chick I know.You have taught me so much during the past year and a half. I feel as if I get a gift from you each and every morning ( amazingly , without fail.) My gift to you is to let you know I think you are hot stuff, and a great writer and I will always, always support you in your work and thoughts. With love,and a zillion colored helium balloons!xxoo
HI Carol! Happy 64th to you and you are so right about all of this! Aging is a PRIVILEGE that needs to be celebrated every single day! I took notes from your awesome chart…great things to be remembered and reflected on each day we are given!
I just updated my Pages From Joan blog and listed you as one of my favorite go-to blogs! Check it out when you have a minute.
Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Joan
Happy Birthday, Carol! I totally agree – aging is a privilege. I’ve learned so much from you and your blog in the last year – about how to be a better writer AND a better person. I hope you have a wonderful day!
I’m learning all these things on a deep down level as I approach 50. Great thoughts. And yes, aging is a privilege. And a blessing, to me. Older = smarter, wiser, better.
Happy, happy birthday, Carol! (I’m suddenly reminded of the Beatles. Will you still need me. Will you still feed me. When I’m 64?!)
I try to surround myself with genuine people. People without agendas. I, too am a WSIWYG girl. Pretence takes too much energy!
So, having said that, I choose to remain blog buddies with you. You lift and support. Never tear down. A genuine friend is far too hard to find and when you do, you hang on!
Happy Birthday Carol! I hope you had a wonderfully zen day! I think I’m right there with you on feeling like an outsider looking it. I still have a lot to learn in the people area and at times don’t give a shit enough to lol. It’s great to have good tits at our age so that’s freaking awesome! lol. I think you rock, I love your style, your pizzaz and your attitude. If we lived close to each other, I would adore chillaxing with you – I can see us doing some serious shopping damage lol.
Happy Birthday, Carol! As someone said, “we’re not old, we’re well-seasoned”. 🙂 Ah, those annoying grey roots are a pain, yes? I gave up and let my hair go natural. It’s so liberating! Getting old definitely beats the alternative and you’re so right to let those nasty and insincere people go. Life is way too short and getting shorter by the minute. Love this post!
Happy belated birthday, Carol! Loved this post. The infographic is great! So many great reminders. As I age, I’m learning to let go of stuff that doesn’t matter.
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Happy, happy birthday to the smartest chick I know.You have taught me so much during the past year and a half. I feel as if I get a gift from you each and every morning ( amazingly , without fail.) My gift to you is to let you know I think you are hot stuff, and a great writer and I will always, always support you in your work and thoughts. With love,and a zillion colored helium balloons!xxoo
Love your comment, here ryder Ziebarth!!!
You made my day–what a beautiful gift. Thank you!
HI Carol! Happy 64th to you and you are so right about all of this! Aging is a PRIVILEGE that needs to be celebrated every single day! I took notes from your awesome chart…great things to be remembered and reflected on each day we are given!
I just updated my Pages From Joan blog and listed you as one of my favorite go-to blogs! Check it out when you have a minute.
Thanks for sharing with all of us.
Joan
Aren’t you sweet! I’m on your site now!
Wonderful reminders, Carol. So many lessons that presented themselves to us over time seem to finally come home to roost in our sixties. Hallelujah!
Yep, some did take a while!
Happy Next Trip Around the Sun Renewal Day (I made that up, just for you). xo Kim
Happy Birthday, Carol! Loved this reflective post – and I’m glad to know you. 🙂
Happy Birthday, Carol! I totally agree – aging is a privilege. I’ve learned so much from you and your blog in the last year – about how to be a better writer AND a better person. I hope you have a wonderful day!
I’m learning all these things on a deep down level as I approach 50. Great thoughts. And yes, aging is a privilege. And a blessing, to me. Older = smarter, wiser, better.
Happy, happy birthday, Carol! (I’m suddenly reminded of the Beatles. Will you still need me. Will you still feed me. When I’m 64?!)
I try to surround myself with genuine people. People without agendas. I, too am a WSIWYG girl. Pretence takes too much energy!
So, having said that, I choose to remain blog buddies with you. You lift and support. Never tear down. A genuine friend is far too hard to find and when you do, you hang on!
Happy Birthday Carol! This was fun:)
Happy Birthday Carol! I hope you had a wonderfully zen day! I think I’m right there with you on feeling like an outsider looking it. I still have a lot to learn in the people area and at times don’t give a shit enough to lol. It’s great to have good tits at our age so that’s freaking awesome! lol. I think you rock, I love your style, your pizzaz and your attitude. If we lived close to each other, I would adore chillaxing with you – I can see us doing some serious shopping damage lol.
Happy Birthday, Carol! As someone said, “we’re not old, we’re well-seasoned”. 🙂 Ah, those annoying grey roots are a pain, yes? I gave up and let my hair go natural. It’s so liberating! Getting old definitely beats the alternative and you’re so right to let those nasty and insincere people go. Life is way too short and getting shorter by the minute. Love this post!
Happy belated birthday, Carol! Loved this post. The infographic is great! So many great reminders. As I age, I’m learning to let go of stuff that doesn’t matter.