I am two years older than when I started this project of painting 60 ladies
and listening to what they had to say about growing older. I listened to what
they are doing with their time and how they feel about themselves at their
age. I am different now than I was two years ago. I was angry then, though
I didn’t say it.
What I learned was so obvious, but it took getting to know these SIXTY
ladies to understand it. Growing older is just like any other part of your
life where you grew older. It is another stage to be celebrated and enjoyed.
In fact, if you play your cards right, you may have a little more freedom to
do what you want and go where you want to go.
This whole thing where people make you feel invisible, stupid, or not
important just because you are old, that’s real and we need to change it.
First, quit buying into it yourself. No more “I can’t do that at my age.” No
more over-the-hill birthday cards, no more letting the doctor tell you you
can’t have that treatment because it hasn’t been tested on people over
70, or they won’t hire baristas over 65. We are going to live longer than
any generation before us and the world needs to get ready because here
we come.
There, I said it, I am happy now.
