Finding joy in the everyday

Pat in one of her disguises I have just finished reading a very thought provoking book " Disguised " by Patricia Moore, published in 1985 (so it might be hard to find a copy).  In 1979, aged 26, Moore began an exceptional and pioneering sociological experiment to study the lifestyle of elders in North America. She developed three basic disguises and roles: a wealthy dowager, a middle-income granny and a bag lady. She assumed the disguises visiting 116 cities and towns in 14 states (to see if the treatment of the elderly was any different depending on her location) and mingled with everyday people — the young, the elderly, business people, shop assistances, people on buses —gathering information on the treatment of the elderly.  "We get hit over the head with age because we are living in a culture that worships youth," she says. "This is absolutely insane, because there is no alternative: If you're not aging, you're dead." ...

"Don't resent growing old. Some people never have the opportunity." We live in an era where women no longer accept growing old gracefully.  Just turn on the television or open up a magazine and it won't take long to hear the messages " combat the signs of ageing " or " defy the ageing process" . When I was young, older women dresses like older women, they wore makeup like an older woman, wore older women shoes etc... These days older women want to dress and look like their daughters or granddaughters.  Many see ageing as something that one needs to go into battle over as if fighting off a disease. We find ageing a threat and a sign of decreased worth in society. No one wants to get old . . .  but we will all get old at some point, no matter what we do. No matter how many tubs of creams or potions we use, we will still get old. Even botox might remove the wrinkles, they don't stop the ageing process.  No one live fore...

As I approach 50 (not quite yet, but very soon) I have started to think about ageing. It happens to all of us and not much we can do about it. However, I know what I don't want to be. I don't want to have the mind of an "old lady" sitting quietly at home getting older. Because if you start to act old (and give up on living), before long you will be old in both mind and body.  Unless my health fails me, I want to: dance in bare feet to loud music go on exciting adventures  be silly and irresponsible go on picnics and fall asleep in the sunshine stay up late reading  laugh until I cry watch romantic movies lie on the grass and watch the clouds pass dream and dream some more be a little crazy  eat unhealthy cake with friends spoil my grandchildren smile lots fly a kite grow flowers instead of vegetables breakfast in bed go for long walks go on the internet when I shouldn't be the mad Aunt in the family help others olde...

Art Friday: The older woman Once-upon-a-time we looked to our older wiser women for advice and for guidance, now we simply scoff them.  The bible teaches younger women to listen to the words of the older woman as she does have something worth saying.  The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;  That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their husbands, that the word of God be no blasphemed. Titus 2:3-5 Today's art is to honour all the older women in our lives who have taught us so much. When women get older they often become invisible (fading into the background).  When a young woman is in a store waiting to be served and she is standing next to an older more mature woman, in many instances the younger woman will get served first. I ha...