We also sometimes use nostalgia to give ourselves a boost of light. We like to rethink our children’s younger years. How funny it was when they were learning to talk and walk. Looking back at their youth is a little like restarting our engine and looking in the rear view mirror. When I look backwards, I can’t believe how old my kids are. Each of them became a light in me. I had so much color in me, I had to turn their lights inside out and share their stories with others.
I sculpted my first novel with my heart. I dealt with the subjects of my kids and my parents. I never learned how to cut the apron strings with mom. Some of my restraint was, in fact, because of my desire to protect their privacy. My whole life has been a series of tidal waves that swept me off my feet every time another child was born. I failed a lot by not getting to my feet quick enough after their four births.
My first career was a wife and mom. My second career became a look back at my first career and writing about it. My past was never a subject I could run away from very long. I spent years trying to rewrite myself. Living my life now at sixty, is like driving alone at night in the country, miles after miles, the only thing I could see was my headlights and nothing but mom and pops in my rear view mirror. Without a past, I imagine we’d become like "zombies" passing our time wandering around without need for anyone or anything. Happiness is critical to our well-being physically and mentally.
When I was a child, I was too quiet, too loud or too argumentative. Today, I figure I was quiet because I was learning to be a good listener. When I was too loud, I was merely excited. Like most kids I could be stimulated by even an empty box. As a child who once turned heads, I found there is an indescribable yearning for that little girl who didn’t know how much light she had in her. Nobody ever told her to relax and shine.
I guess most of us have a fear of aging. However, most of us don’t think about dying till we get older. Red meat and processed meat appears to increase risk of death according to a new medical study of more than half a million Americans. White meat, however, appears to be associated with a slightly decreased risk for overall death and cancer death.
Getting old is such a burden for women. Whenever I hear the word beauty, in my head, I also hear the word beast. It thrills me to know that I am not beastly-looking in my old age, at least not yet. I think our insecurities begin showing first in the form of wrinkles from frowning or brown circles under our eyes from regret. I’ve learned to wear bigger glasses hoping to camouflage my once pretty pug nose that is now a page turner.
Yes, I had my day in the sun. It never occurred to me my nose and ears would keep growing when I was a little girl. There is wistfulness in my heart for that young girl. We all can feel pretty if we accept the grace and elegance of surrendering to time. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed another chin crawling down my face. I figure I can always duct tape it up someday when it becomes more of a problem.
Even if we can’t afford fancy clothes, we can always give ourselves a healthy splash of color to make us feel better and look better. Red makes us happy. Beware, a fake smile looks more than funny on an older person. Keep in mind that laughter, like crying, is a form of catharsis. It provides an outlet for relieving feelings of stress and anxiety and is always contagious.
I think when we get older, we forget how to “move” with confidence. Like it or not men and boys always are attracted to confidence. Older women are sometimes called cougars when we date younger men. To walk and track prey like a cougar, we need to relax our body, move and groove to our natural born confidence and fast walk. Your confidence will carry you seductively no matter how old you are. Whenever we’re photographed, we should lean into the light with our face down like Princess Diana. Of course, don’t be surprised if you need eyeglasses and sunglasses to camouflage your growing imperfections. Cat-eye up sweeps with a “50’s” beat have been revived in a Palm Beach pink if you’re desperate.
I think I will live forever as I am a consumer of white meat, turkey, pork, missionaries (LOL), so I am not in danger also because I am not a red head but a salt & pepper one.
Seriously, stress and anxiety will put more years than they deserve if they allow it to be part of their lives.
Seriously, How To: Journal of Joy are commenting to the readers what the readers can't hear because many of them have their head under the sand. Reading about common sense is the best way to have one.
Georg