Okay, it is embarrassing enough that I continually change colors in front of people for no apparent reason due to my fun internal heat thermostate being a bit wacky lately. But one day last week my glasses actually fogged up due to a menopausal hot flash!
In my daily life I really try hard not to let the fact that I am burning up from the inside out be an obvious attention getter. I remember seeing older women sweating & pulling at their collars as if they were suffocating & just being so grossed out about it. I do not want to be that gross older woman. Want to see why?
Here are a few of the people I spend my days with:
These lovely ladies are a few of my twenty-something age students that look to me for answers about life & I am a living example of their futures. Do I want them staring at my neck as it changes from white, to pink to red? Do I want them to know that I have gone through two winters without once putting on my nice big fluffly sweaters? Just looking at my collection of turtle necks gets me claustraphobic ! Next to my bed I have 3 different pajama sets because I never know if it's going to be a "hot" night or a cold night. Sox on....sox off....sox on...sox off!
I am not against being honest with my students but I refuse to allow complaining & grumbling about my body to be a normal example of living beyond 40. I am 53 & most of them are between 18 & 30. They have perfect bodies, glossy hair & tend to wear about 40 layers of t-shirts every day!
I want them to look forward to each day & each birthday. To feel good about themselves as they age & "change" . I can honestly say that I would not trade places with them for anything. I absolutely love being 53, well, except for the personal "summers" that I get to enjoy without even getting a pretty tan out of it! So I am going to age gracefully in front of them, whatever that means. I am not going to go on & on about my personal ailments & doctor visits. That's why I am putting this on here & not on the site that they read. Am I contradicting myself? Not sure. I might be....but isn't that one of the menopausal side afffects?? Ha!
It is so cruel, but my sisters and I would laugh at our mom when she would have her 'tropical moments'...she would huff and puff and strip off and turn on the fans!!!
ReplyDeleteHa! I'm sure she forgave you. At least after she cooled off a bit! :)
ReplyDeleteI can so relate! I work with a crew of 20somethings, and I sure hate to admit anything about my aging body around them. They keep me feeling young anyway!
ReplyDeleteHi Alicia, yes, they do keep you young. They don't exhaust me because the joy is just so contagious ya know? And I love their conversations & thoughts.
ReplyDeleteDo you mind if I put your blog link on my blog? (I didn't know where to post this question--sorry if this is not the appropriate place. :))
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