My best friend just turned 40 last month and instead of lamenting about old age and worrying that she now has more grey hair and wrinkles, she viewed this coming of age quite positively and exclaimed excitedly how in 10 years time she will be eligble for senior citizen privileges.Not many of us are this optimistic about our advancement in age or can accept the fact that we will soon be past our prime. We resort to all kinds of measures in the hope that our youth will somehow be frozen in time. I too am in my 40s now and I have come to view the world in a different light. Yes I do admit that I was initially upset when once upon a time, I was referred to as Miss but now I'm being called 'Aunty'. I told myself that instead of wasting time trying to recapture my lost youth, I should instead make the most of this new 'era' which I have embarked on.
Now my priorities have changed. Where once I dressed for style even if meant wearing killer heels (no not killer looking heels, but heels that would kill your back!), now I go for comfort. Where once I always ensured that I held my tummy in and chest out to enhance my figure, now I have taken a more relaxed, albeit comfortable posture. Handbags? No more the tiny ones where you could only fit in a lipstick, but the large, roomy ones where I can fit in an umbrella (in case it rains), a book (for the long boring waits) and in my bag you would probably find all kinds of medications - migrane tablets, inhaler, medicated oil, a band-aid etc. Yes ... its practically that counts, not mindless stuff that's there just because its trendy.
Where my looks are concerned, I accept the fact that I have grey hair and do have a couple more wrinkles on my face but I think it gives me character. Now instead of idolising 20-something actresses, I admire the dignified beauty of Helen Mirren, Susan Saradon, Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton and all the other lovely ladies over 40.
Now instead of working late nights and slogging away in the office every day just because I want that promotion, I have learnt to take it easy and prioritise what is important in my life. I have started doing all the things which I have been meaning to do but never got round to it coz I was too busy. I have reconnected with my old friends, I have time to enjoy my reading, time to work on my writing (this blog is proof) and most importantly, I have time for myself and my family.
So people, remember that life is too short, so stop and take time to smell the roses okay.
3 comments:
Aunty Pat, congratulations on your first blog. Life begins at 40. We are a lot more wiser in many things especially when dealing with men! I found we have less tolerance for 'drama'. By the way, I think I have more than a decade more to claim for senior citizen privileges. Oh yeah, and hopefully my EPF will still be around for me to enjoy. Lots of love from 'Aunty Jacqui'
Hie Pat, Congratulations on your first blog. I totally agree with you - we used to work endlessly (I'm sure you remember)and now I have learnt to work practically and always make sure that I have time for God, family and friends. Maybe it is like what j.t.martin said we are a lot wiser. Lots of love from Theresa
Hi Pat,
Welcome to blogsphere. I like your writing style. I can feel there's so much more inside that is waiting to come out. So go for it. I would like to leave an extract from one of my previous postings about life being too short. You can check the entire posting on my blog
http://standupphilosopher.blogspot.com/
Below is the extract:
'Life is UNPREDICTABLE'.We never know when we're going to 'check out'.Yet even if life is unpredictable, the choices of lifestyle and how we live our lives is in our hands. Just as 'checking out' is beyond our control, living our lives to our fullest is way within our control.'Life is unpredictable so don't play small'. Don't short-change ourselves in life's abundance.Even if at 50 years I suddenly realise life for me is just beginning, I want to live every day to its fullest. To achieve what my boyhood dreams were and enjoy the simplest things in life. Things like taking the weekend off and camping by the beach. Playing football in the rain with the neighbourhood kids. And just like Robin Sharma says, for just a moment, lets shut our eyes, and smile into the breeze.Life is unpredictable folks, We may be here today and gone tomorrow. The only thing is, did we play the game to win. Did I fulfill my childhood dreams? Remember in our primary school days when our teacher asked us what our ambitions were? I had big dreams then, big ambitions. It did not matter whether I could achieve them or not. But I had dreams. In school, I had dreams. What happened! What happened to my dreams, my goals, my ambitions? All of a sudden, I stopped dreaming, never set goals, no ambitions...never thought about them again. Why? Sad to say, I grew up! I forgot how to dream. I became ordinary and allowed myself to think that my current mediocre lifestyle is all that I can have. Not true!I can choose to be mediocre, ordinary or extraordinary. The choice is mine..and so, yours as well folks. Lets seize the day as I remember Mark Hughes, the Founder of Herbalife Int., say,'Give your best today, and tomorrow do a little bit better than today'. Way to go Mark! Till my next posting, seize the day!
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