What Have You Learned?

As young girls, we're told what to expect as we mature into womanhood.

Well, sort of.

My mom wasn't comfortable with any of that. I'm not sure how I found out. Sex-Ed? Probably. Peers? Probably.

At any rate, I was getting information.

Has anyone noticed that no one was there (no Sex-Ed) to tell us about what was going to happen next? By "next", I mean after forty. Or fifty. Or whatever.

We're making decisions about everything from dying our hair to botox (or similar injections) to surgery to hormone replacement therapy to who the hell knows what, and yet... there is no Sex-Ed class to educate us and help us make good decisions.

We don't get much information at all.

For me:

I quit dying my hair several years ago because I was curious about my natural color. Right now I call my gray hair "bling" and am okay with it. That could change.

I've tried botox. Twice. Won't be doing that again. Loosening up the wrinkles on my forehead caused my eyelids to droop. I looked permanently sleepy.

I also tried hormone replacement therapy. The results were less than satisfactory. I didn't get the boost in my skin or my mood or my weight (well, that would be a reduction rather than a boost) that I wanted, but I did begin to have a physical cycle again. WTF?

My attitude is good. My weight, not so much. I can count steps (often between 12,000 and 13,000) and try and eat right. My body doesn't seem to care very much.

It is what it is.

But, I repeat: my attitude is good.

What have you learned? What would you pass on to the next generation of women about aging?


It's all better with friends.