My gracious Aunt Teresa once gently told me to “embrace each season of life, with all the changes it may bring”. That wise advice was given to me in the early years of being a mom, and it’s been something I’ve had to remind myself of over the years.
Now in my 70’s, I look back and in my opinion, every decade brings its special charms!! I will say, once I stopped coloring my hair, I felt such a sense of liberation!! (FYI… 60ish!!) Embrace your age, whatever it may be! I think they now say “70 is the new 50????” 😉
Love this so much!! I like to think that as we move into our 30’s, we’re princesses no longer; we are QUEENS. Women like Julie Andrews embody that. They carry themselves with dignity AND delight. Definitely something to aspire to.
Beautiful post, Amy, and so wise. This was a good reminder: "I don’t want my children to look back at my life someday, at my funeral, and say 'well, she always stayed in great shape, and I never saw her without a full face of makeup, and her hair was brown and thick until the day she died.'” There is, as you say, absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things, but they are not what will ultimately make an impact on our loved ones or the world.
I'd like to echo Helen's question. What does 'unproblematic' mean?
My hair started going gray in my early 30s. I dyed it once because someone said I should. But it didn't fit my innate grooming and fashion laziness. There is a reason my home has few mirrors. If I can't see it, it doesn't matter. A lot like the dust on the high places.
It means they don't cause problems, yes. An example of a *problematic* celebrity would be someone like Johnny Depp or Lori Loughlin, or perhaps even more severely someone like Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby. Essentially, someone "unproblematic" is someone who can be pointed to as a role model in some way without eyebrows being raised. If you said "I love everything about Woody Allen, he's my filmmaking hero" a lot of people would probably cringe a little.
Can I just ask what is meant by “unproblematic”? Is it that they don’t have problems? Don’t cause problems? Or is it a term that simply hasn’t yet crossed the Atlantic, at least as far as me, I could simply be too old!
It means they don't cause problems, yes. An example of a *problematic* celebrity would be someone like Johnny Depp or Lori Loughlin, or perhaps even more severely someone like Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby.
Every time I get my hair cut, the stylist remarks on the amount of 'silver sparklers' in my 37 year old head and I can never quite tell if she's complementing me or hinting I should get it colored.
huh. Funny that you pulled the list you did! I was just noticing (as much as I've tried to NOT pay attention to the news) that Trump's administration this go around definitely has a look. They are so obsessed with youthful, polished looks. Rare to find a woman among them who looks average/normal, doesn't have sleek, blown-out, dyed locks and heavily applied makeup.
Some of it is just DC culture. But there is also something else going on . . . There is definitely no aging gracefully amongst that batch of politicians.
In my mid-forties now. I hope my body in my 60s, 70s, and beyond bears the marks of what I choose to do with my life, the values and goals I pursued, and the family and friends I worked alongside.
Julie Andrews, Meryl Streep, etc.... the "aging gracefully" people you noted at the start...... what have they got that you haven't got? Professional hair and makeup people to get them ready for their closeups.
I'm pretty certain that photo of Julie Andrews is not what she looks like on days she will not be in the public eye -- or maybe she has someone permanently "on hand" to doll her up any time she likes.
"Comparison is the thief of joy" -- attributed to Teddy Roosevelt. However, comparison does make for some entertaining writing!
My gracious Aunt Teresa once gently told me to “embrace each season of life, with all the changes it may bring”. That wise advice was given to me in the early years of being a mom, and it’s been something I’ve had to remind myself of over the years.
You're beautiful!
sometimes I think that the only difference between mens' aging and womens' aging is owning it vs feeling it needs to be fought. idk!
Now in my 70’s, I look back and in my opinion, every decade brings its special charms!! I will say, once I stopped coloring my hair, I felt such a sense of liberation!! (FYI… 60ish!!) Embrace your age, whatever it may be! I think they now say “70 is the new 50????” 😉
Love this so much!! I like to think that as we move into our 30’s, we’re princesses no longer; we are QUEENS. Women like Julie Andrews embody that. They carry themselves with dignity AND delight. Definitely something to aspire to.
I spent my 20's waiting for my 30's and 40's! I LOVED my 30's, and I'm about to be 41, and even more excited about this decade.
Beautiful post, Amy, and so wise. This was a good reminder: "I don’t want my children to look back at my life someday, at my funeral, and say 'well, she always stayed in great shape, and I never saw her without a full face of makeup, and her hair was brown and thick until the day she died.'” There is, as you say, absolutely nothing wrong with any of those things, but they are not what will ultimately make an impact on our loved ones or the world.
Happy birthday! This is moving and funny at the same time--impressive 😁
Wow wow wow. This is so beautiful.
I'd like to echo Helen's question. What does 'unproblematic' mean?
My hair started going gray in my early 30s. I dyed it once because someone said I should. But it didn't fit my innate grooming and fashion laziness. There is a reason my home has few mirrors. If I can't see it, it doesn't matter. A lot like the dust on the high places.
It means they don't cause problems, yes. An example of a *problematic* celebrity would be someone like Johnny Depp or Lori Loughlin, or perhaps even more severely someone like Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby. Essentially, someone "unproblematic" is someone who can be pointed to as a role model in some way without eyebrows being raised. If you said "I love everything about Woody Allen, he's my filmmaking hero" a lot of people would probably cringe a little.
Here's to ignoring the dust in high places! 😂
Can I just ask what is meant by “unproblematic”? Is it that they don’t have problems? Don’t cause problems? Or is it a term that simply hasn’t yet crossed the Atlantic, at least as far as me, I could simply be too old!
It means they don't cause problems, yes. An example of a *problematic* celebrity would be someone like Johnny Depp or Lori Loughlin, or perhaps even more severely someone like Harvey Weinstein or Bill Cosby.
Loved this.
Every time I get my hair cut, the stylist remarks on the amount of 'silver sparklers' in my 37 year old head and I can never quite tell if she's complementing me or hinting I should get it colored.
I love a good silver sparkler!!!
huh. Funny that you pulled the list you did! I was just noticing (as much as I've tried to NOT pay attention to the news) that Trump's administration this go around definitely has a look. They are so obsessed with youthful, polished looks. Rare to find a woman among them who looks average/normal, doesn't have sleek, blown-out, dyed locks and heavily applied makeup.
Some of it is just DC culture. But there is also something else going on . . . There is definitely no aging gracefully amongst that batch of politicians.
In my mid-forties now. I hope my body in my 60s, 70s, and beyond bears the marks of what I choose to do with my life, the values and goals I pursued, and the family and friends I worked alongside.
Nice writing!
Julie Andrews, Meryl Streep, etc.... the "aging gracefully" people you noted at the start...... what have they got that you haven't got? Professional hair and makeup people to get them ready for their closeups.
I'm pretty certain that photo of Julie Andrews is not what she looks like on days she will not be in the public eye -- or maybe she has someone permanently "on hand" to doll her up any time she likes.
"Comparison is the thief of joy" -- attributed to Teddy Roosevelt. However, comparison does make for some entertaining writing!