Sunday, March 1, 2009

Don't be Cowardly about Aging!

How many of you read the P31 Magazine this month? If you haven’t—read it!

I thought the article “Permission to get Old” was thought provoking. The author, Karen O’Neil Velasquez, nailed the truth about our youth oriented culture. How many of us look in the mirror everyday and shriek, “Yikes! Who is that person? When did that new wrinkle form? Is that actually an age spot that I see?” “They” say that 50 is the new 30—BALONEY. Ladies we need to unite, be our age and act our age. Here’s one way to do it and “age gracefully.”

I belong to a small group of women who meet every Tuesday evening for Bible study. One of our “girls” is significantly younger than the rest of us. We love to tease her about the upcoming changes that will soon take place within her beautiful body—skin tags, nose hairs, hot sweats, etc. I think you can imagine her horrified expressions. If one of us hasn’t completed the lesson we just use the excuse we couldn’t find our reading glasses. She gulps and tries to smile encouragingly. Honestly, I don’t know why she still hangs out with us.

But together we chuckle about the reality of aging. We are giving each other permission to laugh and create a few more laugh lines. There is no stopping it—well, unless you go to heaven.

So don’t be a coward about aging. It is going to happen to everyone. Let’s laugh in the face of it and agree with Ms. Velasquez, “Permission to get old simply means a course of correction in my thought process. It means that I begin to value what God valued all along.” Curious? Find a copy of the P31 Magazine and read the article.

Then laugh with your friends as you age gracefully together.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Susanne,
I totally agree! Does this mean you're going to go gray with me?

Teresa said...

I totally agree with you!..but I'm NOT going gray..LOL...I don't want anyone to think my first grader is my grandson..heehee!

Blessings!
Teresa
Braden,TN

Anonymous said...

I like the statement: Growing old means that I begin to value what God valued all along. My mother lived to be 95 & 1/2 years old. She died young becasue she was determined not to grow old. She was my best teacher, she said you are only as old as you allow your self to be. At the age of 85 she was teaching 4 & 5 year olds in Sunday School. She was the most positve people I have ever known, she had a hard life and to hear her tell it, it was all good. She learn to VALUE life and she knew God valued her for who she was. Yes I am gray, and love the hair the Lord has blessed me with. Like my mom, I am only as old as I feel. God blessed me with some sweet grandkids that keep me young and on my toes. I have nieces and nephews my age, my niece has a great grandson, my oldest granddaughter is 8 years old. Talk about confusion, when I was a child, I din't know if I fit into the Sister or Aunt catagory. My sons have grown up with second cousins. I have been blessed with a full life, I love my life to the fullest amd I know I have less years ahead of me then I do behind me. I pray God will continue to use me in my golden years. Thank you Jesus.

Anonymous said...

Teresa,
I so understand what you're saying. In my 40's when I started turning gray, I vowed to NOT dye my hair--that is, until at 42 I found out I was pregnant! So, I did, indeed, dye my hair for 8 years (and resented the bother every time). At 50 I became a grandmother and gave myself permission to go gray. I've never looked back (well, maybe once or twice).

Susanne Scheppmann said...

OK, I have to admit I have been blessed with great genes from my dad. I only have about 20 gray hairs--so far. But now my wrinkles are a whole new discussion.

Susanne

Margaret said...

WOW! Susanne, I didn't realize your hair is all natural. That's great! Now let's not go into wrinkles.