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Mama Didn’t Say There Would Be Days Like THIS!
“Mama said there’ll be days like this / There’ll be days like this, mama said”
– The Shirelles, “Mama Said,” 1961
While my mother is undoubtedly one of the smartest and wisest people I know, there are some things she didn’t tell me. Specifically, things about getting older.
I’m in the waning years of my 40s, and strange things are happening to me. But as a staunch Gen X-er, I try to take things in stride and not get too bothered. I did reach out to our wonderful Tanglewood Moms Facebook group to ask them if there were things about aging that they had not been aware of when they were younger. So here, for my younger readers, are things that you have to look forward to in the coming years.
Brain Fog
This is so frustrating. I used to have the best memory, both short- and long-term, and now I can’t remember if I fed the cats. Take it from me, ladies. Write EVERYTHING down!
Weight Issues
Remember when our metabolisms were young and lively? Boy, I miss those days.
Acne
It’s not fair that I have my daughter’s pimples and my mother’s wrinkles. Choose one or the other, hormones!
Facial Hair
Do I really have to elaborate? However, I do have a tip for our younger readers. No matter how weird it is, the best place to pluck is in your car in the driveway. The light is just right! (And now, I need to go apologize to my neighbors…)
Aches and Pains
Our bodies are no longer the lithe, limber things they used to be. Stretching before any activity, be it jogging, tennis, or just vacuuming the living room, is completely and utterly necessary. And pain killers are your friends. Stock up.
Night Sweats and Hot Flashes
Find some bamboo sheets and get a pretty folding fan for your purse. That’s all I can say.
The First Time Someone Cute Little Biscuit Calls You “Ma’am”
There is nothing that can prepare you for this. Nothing.
Now that I’ve completely scared our 20- and 30-something readers, I have some good news! There are some things about getting older that are wonderful!
The Need to “Fit In” Decreases… Dramatically
By this time, you should know yourself pretty well. Your friends are the ones who have stuck with you through the ups and downs of life, so who cares what the public thinks? It’s so much easier to just be yourself!
Wisdom
Let’s face it, by the time we’re middle-aged, we’ve made some mistakes. Big ones. But hopefully, we’ve learned from them.
Perspective
Yes, we have made some big mistakes. But we’ve also learned not to sweat the small stuff. In the grand, cosmic scheme of things, the little faux pas and even major blunders don’t count for much. And besides, there’s too much living still to do to be worrying about them!
Getting older isn’t easy, but let’s face it, it’s not easy being young, either. We’re all going to age; it just depends on how we approach it. I am grateful for the Tanglewood Moms group for their help with this article and for their humor and wisdom. We gotta stick together, ladies!
