Today was what I refer to as a “themed day.” A themed day is when everything that crosses my path intersects or connects somehow. Today that theme was aging.
I woke up to Facebook urging me to wish my husband Richard a happy 60th birthday tomorrow. Since we were born two weeks apart (in the same hospital), my 60th is creeping near, too. The morning news featured designer/author Diane Gilman talking about her book Good Jeans: Ten Simple Truths About Feeling Great, Staying Sexy, and Aging Agelessly. (She’s famous for her $24 DG2 amazing jeans on HSN) It was the aging agelessly that grabbed my attention and nudged me to download the book.
I spent some time reading it before leaving for fit club. Since today was my day at fit club to only do cardio, I was able to stay home an extra hour this morning. The Rachel Ray show played while I was reading the book. Of course – it was about choosing a swimsuit for our aging bodies.
After lunch I picked up the book again, and before I read even a page, The Talk comes on with cast and audience wearing T-Shirts with their age number on them. The subject of the day was “Loving Your Age”. They even said August 1 was proclaimed as “Loving Your Age Day”. Needless to say, Mrs. O, at age 60, was in rare form today.
Back to the book. Diane Gilman found herself approaching 60, 60 pounds heavier and unrecognizable in the mirror. She had just come off of what she calls a “Lost Decade” where she lost her best friend – her husband, her fame, her money and mostly herself. But here she stood on that stage today at 66 looking gorgeous and successful. How DID she do that in six short years?
Her story, what I read so far is an amazing “how to” one of reinvention for those us in this 60th decade. I’m really hit hard with the topic because for the last four years that has been me – (minus 30 of the 60 pounds). Also I hang with a lot of writer friends in this decade of life that say they need to hurry and finish their books because they haven’t got much time left. Time left for what, I had to ask. Dying they replied. What? Dying? No, no, no. I don’t ever think of having to get my books done because I’m going to die soon. Whoa. I HAVE thought of and made peace with leaving this earth when my time comes – but to have to finish my books because I’m in my 60’s and I might die soon? Uh…I don’t think so.
I look at finishing my books and starting my iTeach business as the beginning of a whole new career. A reinvention of myself. Not something I have to hurry and do because I’m almost done with life. If anything, reading Diane’s book is just causing me to say “Hell, yeah!” in reaction to each step as I read it.
This fear of aging causes depression, uselessness, and obesity, leading to a host of other roadblocks keeping us from enjoying this wonderful time of life. We treat, as being all-washed up, a part of life that is absolutely inspiring and exciting. I came across a great quote the other day, but I don’t know who it’s by. It said:
Fear is just excitement in need of an attitude adjustment.
I can’t state it better than that. And to end the day…right now, on Entertainment Tonight, a 92 year old woman is the oldest McDonald’s worker with no rocking chairs in sight.
And so, as another day goes by, I need to finish this book, and…I have written.
Good Jeans by Diane Gilman
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