Monday, April 05, 2010

Certain age??? Me???




“You women of a certain age do well,” Anja said.
We were sitting in the sun in a café: the Danish journalist who started the migration of Danes to Argelès, her daughter and husband and me. It was after Easter dinner, after theIR family had played miniature golf. We were all trying to see as many people as we could over this weekend when some of the summer crowd was here.
Although my daughter keeps saying “My Mom, retired? Hah!!!!” I find it hard to think of myself as a woman of a “certain age” but I am.
I look at my friends who vary from their 20s to 90s, but those in my bracket indeed do fit that term.
It is not derogatory at all. Most of us think this is the best time of our lives. Oh yes, there are aches and pains, but they were always there in some form: a cold. Flu, measles, a fall ice skating, etc.
My friends are busy painting, singing, learning new things. Two have walked a pilgrim trail, one is helping war victims in Bosnia.
I think of the time I have to write, to develop my business, the freedom to go where I want, when I want with only financial limitations, which were worse when I was younger.
And if there are problems helping my mother at the end of her life, it is also a privilege to pay her back for all the support she gave me (I must remember I wrote this when I am banging my head against a wall).
We women are lucky to live in a time that we can do so much. And we are lucky to be able to share it with each other. Certain age? Certainly!

1 comment:

Kathy said...

Bravo! I too am of a certain age, although I think the bracket skews younger in the tech world. Time, perspective, learning something new, giving back: all good stuff about reaching that certain age. Thanks for posting this one.