Yesterday I realized I'm no longer in my twenties. Alas.
Tom and I watched The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (we know, we know. But for whatever reasons, we thoroughly enjoyed both films). And as I watched those beautiful young women I was reminded of how it felt to be young. How I once believed I could do anything and had forever to do it. And how I felt pretty most of the time and the way I could lose three pounds over any weekend I chose to eat a bit less (ah, those were the days).
You know. The way I could walk for miles with movie musicals playing inside my head like my own personal theme songs (no headset needed). And the way, in one day, I could paint a whole room, tend to a young daughter, clean the house, do the laundry, cook the meals--and not be dead afterward.
Anyway, when I watch movies with young women in them, somehow (miraculously) I suddenly feel as though I'm one of their group. My younger years return to me--and for those ninety minutes--I'm in my twenties (or even 30's) again, looking good and thin and feeling like the whole world is mine to do with it anything I wish.
But yesterday--mostly--I just sat there and felt 50-years-old. With greying hair and a body which has become, well, tubby.
But hey. Someday those young ladies in Sisterhood will be 50, also, and you know? I hope they'll have led lives even half as wonderful as mine. I hope each will experience marriage with the kind of sweet guy I have, someone who greets our cats each morning by name and steps out the backdoor and speaks to the birds at our feeders, as well. And treats me with kindness and makes me laugh until the tears come. And I hope they'll have a child who changes their whole way of thinking and being.
May I never forget that there are things in this life better than being young, beautiful and dreamy-eyed. Wisdom, for one. Loving God with your whole heart and soul, for another. And may I remember that the decade of my 40's was the very best of them all. For it was.
And I'm expecting my 50's to be even better. Or, truthfully, I'm trying. Really, my 40's were downright awesome. To me, anyway. シ
*****
5 comments:
A beautiful post Debra. It was just what I needed today! I also feel that my 40's were the very best and believe that the best is yet to come.
Great post Debra! Dolores
I loved those movies, too! I hear ya about the age thing~mostly how I FEEL inside (younger), and when I look at the mirror, sometimes I'm shocked at the -ahem- more 'mature' woman looking back at me, and think "This is what everyone sees, and I don't feel anything like her on the inside!!" And then I walk away from the mirror and imagine myself looking 30 again. You know, when used correctly, denial can be a wonderful thing! ;-)
At 51, I am enjoying life so much more than any other decade. I like what God's done for me on the inside and wouldn't trade it for any of these wrinkles!!
Great post, Debra!
I hope that when they reach 50 those young women also learn to enjoy the wonderful contentment and gratefulness you display and that they are able to express themselves as well as you do.
:)
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