Germaine Greer once said “If a woman never lets herself go, how can she ever know how far she might have got? If she never takes off her high-heeled shoes, how will she ever know how far she could walk or how fast she could run?” This inspirational educationalist and feminist is well worth listening to. A very smart lady who has clocked up 77 odd solar orbits in her innings of life. I have always been a fan of hers.
It is said we attract what we wish for. I have found myself agreeing with some female friends about a need for energising inspiration in their 50-ish lives. I have been inspired by Lindsey Agness about how there is a lot more to life after midlife. In fact Lindsey says that rather than resigning ourselves to being over the hill and doddering down the slope to senility, we can welcome greater than ever opportunities for fulfilment and contribution.
Be prepared to disappoint others to be true to your dreams.
I once worked with a neat 60ish lady named Annette. Annette’s 36 year old daughter, who was very easy on my 48 year old eye at the time, also worked there. Annette once took me to task. She told me she was aware that I liked to look at her daughter (why not?), but that there was value in the older woman that I needed to learn about.
This was not an invitation to personal adventure. I realised when she left our teaching institution to “go climbing the Andean mountains” that I had lost a source of great inspiration.
I also worked with Ruth, who we called “Grandma Groovy”. This was ironic because at that stage of her life, she wasn’t a Grandma, even though she would have liked to have been. “Who cares” I said “Be groovy first, and then become a Grandma”. She agreed.
Both Annette and Ruth talked to me about things like hot flushes. These are power surges! They also talked about menopause – no holding back with these girls! They told me that this is the midway stage of an exciting life journey – a time to rekindle the fire of life, and keep burning brightly and warmly for another generation (40 years or so).
Have a look at my blog on “My thoughts about Retirement” (spelt Re Tyre ment). A similar sentiment is expressed, though not with the warmth and brightness these ladies exuded.
Let me leave you with a diagram from Lindsey Agness. Am I breaching her copyright? Maybe – I would love to talk with her. Please reflect on her diagram below:
