To quote Anne Lamott… “Age has given me what I’ve been looking for all my life – it gave me me.” In a few short weeks I’ll be 64. Sixty-four trips around the sun. Sixty-four birthday cakes. Sixty-four years of blood, sweat, and tears. Three weddings…four if you count the renewal of vows in the second marriage. It didn’t help…it still fell apart. Two beautiful children. Two grandchildren. Births. Deaths. New loves. New heartbreaks. More new loves. I don’t know…eight or ten “careers”? I’m a Gemini…sue me!
I’ve come to believe that aging is an art form. Look at this beautiful woman. There is mirth, secrets, love, resignation, wisdom in every crease of her face. Her eyes are windows to her soul. She is not perfect. But she is real. She embodies the crone. The dictionary defines crone as a “withered, witch-like old woman”. There is a movement now of honoring women over a certain age as fountains of wisdom, information, and grace. Finally, we are beginning to relish living in our own skin with our wrinkles, silver hair, age spots, cellulite, and comfortable tummies. We have found ourselves. Sometimes it’s through great acts of bravery…like, getting a divorce or becoming a widow and managing our worlds in spite of the pain. Sometimes it’s through the loss of children. Sometimes it’s when we find ourselves abandoned or abused. We find ourselves through age.
Aging isn’t necessarily pretty. Disease can rob us of our health during what should be our golden years. Sometimes disease robs us of that one true love and our worlds will never be the same. I have a dear friend who lost her husband to cancer. Now, her BFF is dying and while she holds her friend, she has panic attacks and flashbacks of her husband’s decline. This is a brave woman to still be able to be there for her friend. I love her for that. She is a crone…through and through. Her wisdom and love are helping her friend in her transition. She is painting a masterpiece with her heart that would rival any by Monet, Renoir, daVinci.
Aging ain’t for sissies, according to Bette Davis. We are crones. We are wise when we don’t feel wise. Strong when we don’t feel strong. I embrace my inner crone. The outer one is beginning to look more and more like her. My crone-self doesn’t have time for drama. No time for BS. No time for fake people. I’m ready to take on the mantle of crone and be darned proud wearing it. ❤️
“She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”
Proverbs 31:26 ESV
Photo Credit: “Old Woman” by Jessica Powers (via Pinterest)
Amen. Again, thanks. I like being an older crone.
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Crowned and beautiful women.
Aging with grace and wisdom. A masterpiece of art.
Love and kindness for the process.
Thank you for sharing, Ginny ❤️
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Sometimes I feel like I am working with chubby crayons instead of oils and brushes. I will stop and fall apart when I have to. This broken hearted business is tough. Then I will sing this to myself…
Pick yourself up,
Take a deep breath,
Dust yourself off
And start all over again.
Nothing’s impossible, I have found
For when my chin is on the ground.
I pick myself up,
Dust myself off
And start all over again.
Love you, Miss Jamie. ❤️
Love you right back. Her kidneys are failing. Plasma pheresis not making much of a dent. Worried that she won’t even get to go back home. Many, MANY people involved in taking care of things that she cannot. I will be there at the a$$ crack of dawn to ask the hard questions to the docs. I am broken, but can channel fierce.
Prayer for strength and comfort. ❤️
As always right when I needed it. How did you know? Have a wonderful day.
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Yep!
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I will be 65 in a few weeks. I had been feeling really bad about my age. I really didn’t expect to live this long. Women I my Mom’s family usually don’t live past 55. My Mom died at 49 my only sister at 52. Lately I have been happy at my age. My husband didn’t live to see our Grands grow to teenagers and to see 2 more added to our family. I have. He didn’t live to see our oldest Grand go to prom with her boyfriend. I did. Life has been difficult at times, but I have proved I AM TOUGHER! I embrace my age!
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As i read this, riding out my forties and welcoming my fiftys, i am comforted by what i have read. I am around much younger folks on a regular basis and i feel very aged at times. I also feel pretty fierce when one of them come to me for help or advise because at times like that, God reminds me that I am valuable and necessary. That the pain and suffering as well as all the good i have lived was for these moments. Thank you for this. I absolutely needed to hear it.
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WHAT IS TO BE OLD? I AM NOT TOTALLY SURE, MAYBE IS WHEN YOU
FEEL ACHES AND PAIN ALL OVER YOUR BODY, OR WHEN VERY LITTLE
SEEMS TO SURPRISE YOU AMY MORE OR BETTER THAN ALL OF THAT
IS WHEN YOU FEEL CONFORTABLE WITH YOURSELF, I THINK I MORE
INCLINE TO BELIEVE THAT AGE IS A LITTLE OF EVERY THING ALL TOGETHER BUT AT THE END YOU FIND YOURSELF LOOKING BEAUTIFUL,
SOME DAYS STRONGER THAN OTHERS AND VERY MUCH IN LOVE WITH
GOD ALMIGHTY AND WITH THOSE NEAR YOU AND THOSE FAR AWAY
FROM YOU. AGE AFTER ALL IS A STAGE OF MIND, SOUL AND HEART.
I AM 75 YEARS OLD AND I FEEL VERY BLESS, HAPPY, PEACEFUL, AND AT
EASE WITH MY GOD AND MYSELF. SENDING YOU ALL MY BLESSINGS AND
MY LOVE AND BEST WISHES. ??❤️??❤️??❤️??❤️??❤️?
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I just celebrated my 60th birthday, and I do mean, celebrated! I never thought to see 21, let alone 60. This ageing sh!t is not for sissies! Your body isn’t as resilient as it once was, your mind not quite as sharp, and reflexes, don’t get me started!
But the joys of being read to by your grandchildren, the conversations with your kids, priceless!
I have talked to 4 friends from my teenage years this week. We still laugh and support each other emotionally, and it’s like just yesterday that we broke bread together even tho it’s been years. I love them without fail!
Oh, BTW, my one night stand 34 years ago….He’s sitting beside me now asking if I’d like wine or tea. Being a crone ain’t so bad after all!
Oh! This just made my ❤️ happy! One night stand that has lasted 34 years? Love it!
I just love this one. Just a few more months and I hit 70. I think I’ve been a crone for maybe 20 years already 😉 But that’s ok. I like to think I wear my crown with pride. Thank you again for making me feel ok about me.
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Your writing is perfect for where I’m at in my life, thank you❤ 59 and aging gracefully, I hope. Kids and grandkids all around me, and plenty of animals to make my life full. Easing into the crone-thing, one day at a time.
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