Beyond Babedom

We're (way) over 40. Deal with it.

Stop in the Name of Love

As I (and that means WE) get further and further beyond babedom, we all find things that we can no longer do. For some, it’s wearing 3 inch heels (not guilty – I still cannot wear flats). For others it’s dancing all night (guilty – and why do those hustle songs I used to love to dance to seem so fast now?). The list goes on and on (I still like to believe I could do a split if I wanted to . . . ) and I remind my 92 year old mom that she isn’t the only one who has had to give up stuff she used to like to do (Dolly decided for herself that driving was now out of the question. . . hallelujah!).

But now I’m realizing that there are things we can still do. . . we just should consider giving them up. And I say this out of love. . . for ourselves.

Like using a magnifying mirror. Do you really need to get that last eyebrow hair tweezed. . . or will you be happier not seeing your face really, really close up? You can look so much better at a distance, so why bum yourself out?

How about shaving your legs? Yes, you still may have to occasionally, but sooner or later, that need vanishes. Of course, nature curses you by putting errant hairs elsewhere, but that’s a subject for another day.

And, do we really need to weigh ourselves constantly? I mean, really, you know if your jeans fit or if that blouse no longer stays closed without the two sided tape. Why torture yourself with empirical evidence of your expanding self?

In fact, do we really need bathroom mirrors at work? If I leave my house, feeling like I’m looking good; why should my fantasy be shattered every time I visit the ladies’ room (and I’m visiting more and more often)? It’s bad enough there’s a mirror there, but the crummy lighting makes us look even worse.

Which is what I keep telling myself.

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This entry was posted on Saturday, August 31st, 2013 at 12:32 PM and is filed under Ageing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

  1. David Berkowitz says:

    Mother Nature is equally vengeful on both sexes. If we shave our faces every day, as most men do, we have no choice but to confront the hills and valleys of our facial landscape that weren’t there even five years ago. Skin hangs, creases affirm and muscles that were once strong and proud are now seemingly in hiding. Ah but there are some that say that Nature is simply clearing the facade of youthful arrogance to let the visage of wisdom and sagacity shine through. Bull!!

  2. David Alexander says:

    David B is right — we are constantly facing the ravages of age. Just about any sporting event will show us commercials that encourage us to improve things that we didn’t know needed improving. What’s wrong with getting up once a night to use the bathroom? Let’s face it — Father Time is undefeated!!

  3. Judy Herring says:

    The timing of this blog couldn’t be more perfect. I started taking a Zumba class with my daughters about six weeks ago. I’m pretty sure I’m the oldest one in the class. There are moves I can still do, but there are moves I try to do, but my body just won’t go there anymore! I mean – my body just won’t move in the way I would like it to. My mind wants to move, but this 56 year old body says “Are you kidding? You want me to do THAT!!!???? And, I hate mirrors in dressing rooms and public bathrooms, too! Why are they do different than the mirrors at home??

  4. patti weinberg says:

    It’s even more than what you can’t do…it’s what happens when you try it…lifted weights for upper arm tone…tennis elbow, did lunges for thigh strength…achilles tendonitits, cute strappy sandals…plantar fasciatitis.

    I may slow down, but won’t give up coloring my hair. I can handle crows feet but not grey!

    Go dance your nights away!

  5. Patsy Reed-Wright says:

    The mirrors, and the lighting, in most dressing rooms are designed to make you seemingly look better than you do in the clothes you try on. I would rather have a mirror that made you look much worse in the clothes….that way if you look good in something, you know that outside in the real world you will look spectacular!!
    And it’s true, often times the spirit is willing but the body is weak (as the saying goes). Taking care of my grandson has taught me this like nothing else can. Where in the hell do 5 year olds get their energy? By the time he is ready for bed I am often ready for a vacation! I don’t stay out as late when I go out, but then I can’t sleep when I get home. My mind tells me I am still young and vibrant, but my body laughs and says “If you try that again, you’re not only crazy….you’re on your own.”

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