I am finally at a place in my life where I feel a sense of peace. I was inexperienced in my twenties, on edge in my thirties, and I’m finally at a happy place in my forties. In my twenties, I didn’t realize what could happen or how I could be hurt. I believed nothing bad would touch me. I was invincible. In my thirties, I was hurt and had some bumps and rough patches in my life. The tragedy of a divorce and a rebound relationship filled my life.
After that, at the age of thirty-six, I met my husband-to-be and life became incredibly sweet and lovely. I realized what I had missed in my twenties and early thirties. When they say life begins at forty, I believe it. I was thirty-eight, almost thirty-nine when my husband (a confirmed bachelor) and I got married.
Despite the wisdom and reflection I’ve felt in my life, I am not thrilled at the gray in my hair or the “creakiness” I hear in my joints in the morning. My hairstylist helps me strategically disguise the gray in my hair and, with regular exercise, my body is more limber than it could be, and the noises are not as obvious. I don’t care what people say; it takes a lot of strength and courage to get older. It feels sometimes like magazines and fashion cater to the very young. It’s okay to be elegant and older. It’s alright not to be a perfect size six or to have some laugh lines. Aging gracefully should be a requirement in life. Fear of getting older should not be an option. I’d like to see some magazines and media celebrate the joys of being forty-something, fifty-something, sixty-something, etc.
I am so pleased to see Dove soap switch to a campaign that celebrates a woman’s age, ethnicity, shape, and uniqueness. I am thrilled to see a magazine like More celebrate a woman who is not twenty-something. We need more of that. My grandma has always used Dove soap. Aside from the fact it makes my skin feel good, I like a company that caters to everyone and discriminates against no one. My husband uses Dove soap. He doesn’t want dry itchy skin either.
I can’t foresee Botox, plastic surgery, or other things to make me look younger in my future. I think I’ll keep my hair highlighted and keep exercising. I’m trying to make my goal to be healthy and happy and let the natural beauty shine through. I want to be at peace with myself. I want to be beautiful for myself and not pressured into it by anyone or anything else.
I’ve learned from the experiences in my twenties and thirties and I’m celebrating the wonderful life I’ve been given in my forties. I hope I have more wisdom and beauty in my fifties. Those days are just around the corner.
