Ahead—and back

You would have walked right by us— 3 women standing in the aisle of the supermarket having a conversation over our shopping carts.

Women of a certain age, we’ve passed beyond desirable demographics—mostly not given a second glance— or a second chance.

Supposedly, we’re invisible…. presumably to fade away into the sunset.

Only someone forgot to tell us.

No one told all the women starting new careers, new businesses and new lives well after 50.

And no one told the two women I ran into in the grocery store.

Though we’re just casual acquaintances, the conversation shifted immediately into intimacy.

One just did a major glamification —-makeup, hair, clothes, and losing a lot of weight.

The other woman also recently shed a huge weight—-her husband of 35 years.

They’re happy.  Exuberant.  Loving life.  Loving who they are.

Most importantly—they’re not looking back.  They’re looking ahead.

I spent today grouting (the only part of making mosaics I don’t love).   After standing for 8 hours bending over a table, I thought my back muscles might never recover.

So at dinner I’m bitching thinking about  all the things I’m doing right now– physically and mentally—and I start to tell V—I’m too old to be doing this.

Then I immediately realize— I’m busy, I’m healthy, I’m looking ahead-—this is exactly what I want to be doing right now.

And one hour later, after I make the switch from whine to wine-— my back feels fine.

One thing is for sure—women our age aren’t going to be spending the coming years sitting on the porch in a rocking chair.   Forget the chair—but  for sure, we’re rocking.