23 January 2010

Of a Certain Age

I am finding myself at a point of definition, a point where I can no longer remain mentally in the place where I currently am. This point has to do with my physical age and the factors associated with being a “woman of a certain age”.

I stumbled upon a wonderful new blog that just started last week called “Vision & Verb”. It’s a collaboration of several women, women of a certain age. These women are all “older’ in the eyes of society – they are writers and photographers and they are proud of their standing – wherever that standing may currently be, they are proud to be women of a certain age.

I too am a writer and a photographer and to actually see and hear the voices of women like me has stirred something unexpected within my heart. I am feeling the need to accept who I am as an older woman – a woman of a certain age – and even more importantly to be comfortable with that fact. I need to find a way to feel good in my skin with it’s age and flaws and the changes that are beyond my control.

Getting to a place of genuine self-acceptance will not be an easy task and accepting the fact that I am “of a certain age” complicates the process. Being single at this point in my life and being so much older than the average single lesbian makes being in this age even more difficult.

I will start by improving my writing and photography – finding satisfaction and pride in my gifts first then perhaps the acceptance of my physical self will naturally follow. At least that is where I am going to begin, that and continuing to find other strong, confident, proud women of a certain age from which to learn.

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