Lesson 34: When you are well into your 50s, remember that you are at the cusp of a journey like no other. You are wise. You are seasoned. You know how to love. You are beautiful. You are cherished. Skip over those lines in your face and the occasional twitch in your back. It is your time to glow.
When I pulled up to the red light, I was more than surprised to see a silver, AMC Javelin in the lane to my left. I was even more surprised to realize that I knew the man behind the wheel; an old friend from at least 34 years ago. He sat staring straight ahead, his long ponytail now tinged with silver and his bare arms boasting a tattoo that seemed brighter and more scandalous back in 1976. The Javelin looked like it was in mint condition, despite its age. My guess was that he kept that beautiful antique car garaged and pampered.
I rolled my window down just a bit and Boston’s “More Than A Feeling,” reached out to me, beckoning me back to that sweet time of my life. I was just about to hit the horn pad on my steering wheel when the light changed to green and the Javelin moved on, its sleek, aero-dynamic shape absorbed by the white summer sun.
I moved on, as well, but not before I heard a comment from a young man standing on the corner of State Street with his friends. “Did you see that old man driving that car. What kind of a car was that, anyway?” I wanted to turn around, go back and tell those young men all about the band Boston, the AMC Javelin, and that incredibly cool, long-haired man behind the wheel. Old, indeed!
After returning to my office, I sat in my car for a few minutes, staring at my reflection in my rearview mirror. I did not see a 56-year-old woman. I saw that shy, 18-year-old girl who dreams of true love and writing poetry in a secluded cottage on the edge of the Atlantic. Do any of us truly “grow up?” I still wear my feelings on my sleeve. I stare at rainbows until they melt into a welcoming sky and I am convinced that the Wicked Witch of the West hangs around in little girls’ closets; those flying monkeys close at hand.
When do we hang up the flip-flops, trading them in for sensible, cushioned shoes that cling to the ice and strengthen our arches? When do we switch off the Rolling Stones, settling for more soothing, complacent music? And tell me, please, what exactly is a senior citizen or a senior moment?
There is no question that age alters us physically but we cannot allow it to destroy the challenge in our eyes or the fire in our hearts.
Editor’s Note: Belinda Wilcox Ouellette lives Connor TWP with her husband Dale and their Goldendoodle Barney. They are currently working on building a home in Caribou. You may contact Belinda online at: dbwouellette@maine.rr.com.