Last May, I celebrated my 53rd birthday with a few close friends. I had much to be thankful for; another year in my fabulous-fifties, my recent retirement, and I was looking forward to the next chapter of my fabulous life!
It Was a Night To Remember
I spent weeks searching for the perfect dress, then spent most of the day preparing for the occasion. First, I indulged in a full body massage and facial, followed by a manicure and pedicure, and then an appointment with a makeup artist. Those boot camp sessions paid off too. The dress slipped on ever so smoothly. My confidence level was at an all-time high, and now I was ready for my birthday celebration.
The evening began with dinner at Tao, a remarkably decorated restaurant serving fine cuisine and amazing cocktails. With seats at one of the best tables in the house, my friends and I received impeccable service and indulged in the tastiest foods throughout the night. We laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. I was among the best of friends.
In awe of the beautiful statues, fountains, wall art, and decorative lanterns, we couldn’t go without walking around taking photos to capture the moments. After all, it was my birthday; I had to have pictures to post on social media later that evening.
Did She Just Say That?
After the picture taking, we returned to the table, and I noticed one of my friends sitting quietly. She appeared dissatisfied as she scrolled through her photos on her phone.
“Would you like to take more pictures?” I asked.
She nodded her head, so we all agreed to another group photo. She pulled out her compact to apply more lipstick and then added,
“Wait, let me cover my gray first,” and began pulling her wig forward to hide the silvery edges along the front of her hairline.
Then suddenly, she slammed her compact down and blurted out,
“Oh, who cares. I’m OLD!”
It took everything for me not to scream across the table. (Shouldn’t I be the one upset about feeling old?) Taking a deep breath, I reminded my friend that she was two years younger than myself and that if I was not old, then neither was she. We took a few more pictures and proceeded to enjoy the rest of the night. Fortunately, the rest of the evening went well without any other mention about being old.
It’s All In The Attitude
Later that evening, I thought about my friend and her outburst. I remembered those old sayings that I thought at one time sounded corny, until now. You know, “age is just a number” or “you’re only as old as you feel.” Approaching my fabulous-fifties, I embraced my age with open arms. I can accept the incoming gray hairs, although I admit, I love my highlights and adding a little color now and then. The visible facial lines and sagging skin are starting to become more noticeable every day. Still, I keep a positive attitude and try to stay as active as possible, and always maintain a “young at heart” attitude because I’m simply not in a rush to slow down just yet.
While not everyone may have the same feelings about reaching their 50’s, it’s tough when I see friends younger than myself practically claiming senior citizen status before their time. That night, I wondered. Is this fabulous-fifties thing all a gimmick to make us feel good about the fact that we are old?
I guess it’s up to the individual to decide which route they want to take. We can embrace our fifties by being as fabulous as we want to be, or we can embrace our fifties by being, as my friend would say, just old.
For me, I’ve decided I’m going to remain fabulous.
