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So, I'm turning 50.  Tomorrow.  I went looking for some online inspiration, because let's be real, turning 50 is kind of a big deal.  A milestone.  A half-a-freaking century.  And all I could find were lame jokes about losing your memory, saggy tits and being Over the Hill.  I made the mistake of complaining to my daughter that there was no one writing about turning 50, and she said maybe it should be me.  Well, duh.  So, here it is.  My thoughts on turning 50. (Be warned, in the future, you may also get my thoughts on knitting, family life in an emptying nest, minimalism and how to live with a husband who treats your home like a comedy club.)

First of all, I'm excited, not depressed by the prospect.  I'm at the halfway point.  My grandmother and her mother both lived well into their nineties.  Between that and medical advances and some luck, I could well see my 100th birthday.  And the best part is that this half, I don't have to go through puberty.

I'm not afraid of getting older.  I'm intrigued by the silver sparkles in my hair.  I will not be covering them up.  They feel authentic and sexy to me.  (And my husband doesn't disagree.). I have some role models as I let Mother Nature have her way with me.  Good friends, strong, funny women and my own dear mother who has gorgeous completely silver hair.  Part of my reason for not coloring is, as my friend, Erica said, "I'm cheap and I'm lazy." Part of it is that I want to know myself.  I want to know what I look like.  And part of it is an immature desire to give a middle finger to society's expectations for how a woman is to look as she ages. (No criticism implied of the lovely ladies who color their hair.  Do what makes you feel awesome.)

So, there will be no dye.  There will be no injections.  No lifts or tucks.  I will not waste my precious time, money or energy pursuing youth. Or more honestly, the illusion of youth.  I'm not afraid to look my age.  I will, however, pursue strength.  I will pursue health.  I will pursue growth and adventure and community.  And I hope to document and explore what life brings in the second half right here on this blog.




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