When does the label “mature woman” begin to apply? I just spent a good portion of time staring at myself in the various bedroom mirrors being vain, and that was the thought that popped into my head. Should I be thinking of myself as a “mature woman” now? When I look in the mirror, what I see doesn’t seem to fit the image I have attached to that label. I see other women my age, and most of them do seem like the stereotypical older and “mature” woman to me, yet I almost never think “Oh, but I look young for my age” … which I do. I always look at them and think “They haven’t been taking care of themselves” … even though I really don’t do anything much at all to maintain my “youthful” appearance. In fact, I’d imagine most woman of all ages spend more time and money trying to maintain their appearance than I ever have. I guess I have never felt the need to stay young looking forever. We grow old. It’s just a fact, and I find there is beauty in old age. No sense trying to fight it too much.
I don’t feel like a mature woman, even though I am now in my forties, and that would seem to put me on the lower end of that spectrum. I think a lot of that may have to do with the differences between my life and that of other more typical women. Most notably … I have never been a mother. I’m going to skip from maiden to crone, unless you count the cats who have substituted for babies. There is a whole chunk of life experience that is extremely common that I will have never experienced. Don’t think I regret that in anyway, because I don’t. I do think it has shaded my life differently from others, and growing older for me will be a different as well.
Just something I am thinking about tonight.
When I was ten time was spent with a grin.
Accepting all without question in a cradle of expectation.
Then came twenty with plenty confusion about my evolution.
Too many voices giving me too many choices in who they wanted me to be.
When thirty came I still felt flirty without a blame and no need of shame.
I bathed the wound of time past in hope that my youth would last.
Then came forty with the sortie of my youth slip sliding away.
Finally I knew who I had became and that time had become ‘twas.
When I turn fifty I will be quite nifty.
Now that I know that I am not bound by any stage called age.
For the world still spins and I will still get the grins.
Written especially for Orb
You know, that sums it up quite nicely. Thanks! :heart:
WM, you never fail to astound. I hope the world conspires that we should meet one day (hopefully at Orb’s over a dinner she has made for us!) The soul of a poet and the wisdom of a sage.
Thanks Kenno and Orb.
I too am looking forward to a feast of mind and belly with a treat of Jalapeño Cacti Jelly.
I have been so busy as of late dealing with the aftermath of a tornado that struck on Friday the 13th in North Texas right in the middle of my mother in laws neighborhood. One close friend killed and one injured very badly. They were outside when the twister came down right on top of them. I am totally exhausted from the loss of life, the clean up efforts, and the effects of being in the middle of so much destruction since it touched down. The area has been declared a disaster zone.
I said my goodbyes to some 300 year old Oak trees that also died in the storm today as what was left of them were being cut up and removed.
Glad you enjoyed the prose. The will be more to come of that one and one for you as well. Take Kenno our meeting in Austin will come soon.