What a glorious time of life our 50’s are!

We have the chutzpah to be authentic. We can live safely or dangerously and not be afraid. We are suddenly aware that time is important and we need to live life to the fullest every day, not look forward and say “when the next thing is accomplished I’ll be happy.”

A recent trip to The Labia Theatre had me in fits of laughter. I identified so much with the women of “Book Club” (with one in particular.) On her allotted month one of the book club ladies introduces the others to “50 Shades of Grey”. At first they are all dismissive of the standard of literature but you watch each of their lives unfold as they all begin the read as Christian Grey seduces Anastasia Steele in a variety of “different” ways. None of them can put the book down and latent sexual curiosity runs rife. They are totally absorbed invigorated.

The movie runs through Tinder in your middle ages, impotence, miscommunication between spouses and partners, loneliness, rediscovery of self and sex, fear of rejection, fear of saying no to your well meaning children, it is in fact so significant as it is precisely how most of us are reaching our middle age. Poignant stuff.

I remember lying on the floor of my teenage home trying to get the tightest “Lee” jeans on for a Friday night date and then being hardly able to breath all night, and now some nearly forty years later, bless, we have spandex to help us look toned enough to to pour our svelte selves into anything as long as it’s “suitable”. Stilettos have been replaced by pumps, our homes and cars have numerous pairs of +strength readers readily available. Sex however, after many ups, downs and angst becomes raunchy and fun again. We thrive.

When googling “Spandex” the definition is; “a product of exceptional elasticity, stronger and more durable than natural rubber. The name “Spandex” is an anagram of the word “expands.” I love this, our lives have expanded. We can choose to make it as expanded as we like while still keeping it as tidy and trim around the edges as we feel necessary.

~ “Ordinary women who do extraordinary things – that’s my shtick”