After reading a post today on Inventing Real Life about whether or not a woman is ‘invisible’ once they get to the age of fifty, it got me to thinking….
I am less than a year away from the big five-o myself (sob), and I am already having mixed feelings about it. Originally I thought how lovely it would be to have a big party to celebrate the occasion. It would be a great excuse for a get-together and some cheesy music to get everyone up and dancing,
Despite my two left feet, a bit of 80s music will have me heading for the dance floor and strutting my stuff, especially if there is mostly only family there to witness my humiliating ‘moves’! This is where it comes in handy having such a large clan, it is not that difficult to fill up a function room!
Another possibility is doing a one-off event, such as a skydive, or perhaps a bungee jump, or even a hot air balloon ride This is all well and good providing you are not the biggest coward around , who can barely stand on a chair without getting dizzy at the height off the floor! No, I am a huge fail in the thrill-seeker department (well at least this kind of thrill seeking)!
Once I have decided how to actually mark the occasion, I wonder what happens then? Will I fade into obscurity? Be too old and past it for anyone to bother with any more? Left on the scrap heap, destined to be humoured as that ‘mad old aunty’ that everyone gives a wide berth to at functions! The nutter with the whiskery chin (no point in bothering with keeping myself nice anymore) and the garish clothes?
Not bloody likely! I spent a lot of time in my youth where I was so quiet and shy that I faded into the background (mostly by my own choice I admit). I was the wilting wallflower at parties, head drooped trying not to draw attention to myself. The awkward, jerky, tongue-tied girl, then young woman, blushing if anyone talked to me, or looked my way. The constant loner standing out like a sore thumb at clubs, as everyone else had gone off to dance,and being self-conscious, I would hang around trying to look invisible as I didn’t want anyone to think I was waiting to be ‘picked up!’
Anyway, I have decided that I am going to try to turn over a new leaf once I get to my fifties. I am tired of being a non-entity, the forgotten face in the crowd, the recipient of the “oh, we’ve never met” comment, despite being introduced a few weeks previously. I am going to break out of that shell that has encased me for the last fifty years and Sod what anyone thinks!
Rather than disappear, I am going to stand out in my fifties. the new confident me. So what if I still trip over everything, put my foot in it, and show myself up! That is always going to be part of who I am, so rather than cringe and try hiding away, I will endeavour to shrug my shoulders, dust myself down and laugh it all off! I am going to be fabulous at fifty!
Now that’s the spirit! I also think you should make a special section on your blog to record all the changes you make and keep us informed! 🙂
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I will certainly think about it! 🙂
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There are a great many F words I could use to describe fifty. Here are just ten to give you food (hey an F word) for thought: Flirty, fabulous, fun, fantastic, flighty, fluid, fair, foxy, funky, and flexible. All good, as is 50! Enjoy
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I’m liking the sound of the 50s more by the second! Thanks soo much for your good wishes 🙂
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You are perfectly perfect no matter what age! Enjoy your perfection.
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Thank you Donna 🙂
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Look back on all the wonderful things you achieved this year within blogging and life! And don’t forget namowrimo!!! Here’s to another wonderful year sis 😍😍😍
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Look back on all the wonderful thing hs you achieved this year within blogging and life! And don’t forget namowrimo!!! Here’s to another wonderful year sis 😍😍😍
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Yes, I am very proud of my blogging which has of course led to NaNoWriMo
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You should be sis… I look forward to being able to review that book, once it hits the shelves…! 🙂
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That’s the spirit!!
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I have been told there is lots to look forward to 🙂
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You are fabulous and fantastic without doubts. No way do you come close to being a mad aunty with a whiskery chin. Rock on
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Thank you Jacqui. Actually my niece is expecting her first baby any day now so I might be a mad GREAT aunty tomorrow, who knows?!!! 🙂
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My father died the day after my 40th birthday, so as all other landmarks (18th, 21st, 30th) had been a bit of a bad lot too, I was a little anxious about turning 50. It was actually OK, and now I am just three months away from turning 60!
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Oh, I am so sorry to hear that, it must have been an awful shock for you. I am glad that your 50th went well and all the best for your 60th too! 🙂
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I miss my Dad terribly, even now, but I took my cake into the ICU and shared it with the staff there. Although Dad was in a coma, he was ‘with me’ for the big 4 0. It wasn’t the way I intended to celebrate, it was just ‘different’. One of my best posts (imo) was
https://pensitivity101.wordpress.com/2013/11/14/daddys-little-girl/
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It was a lovely post. Thank you for sharing it with me 🙂
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Reblogged this on Edwina's Episodes and commented:
This is what I thought about turning fifty nearly a year ago, Well the big day is TOMORROW! How the time has flown. My last few hours of being in my forties and I am feeling all fluttery about being fifty, but still intend to be fabulous!
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I reached 50 in 2012 and can only say that I’ve been having an absolute blast since then.
Good for you, Edwina. Age should not matter at all. It is the person that counts and not how old they are.
I hope you celebrate in style.
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Thanks Hugh!c I’m glad that you are embracing it too!
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Embraced it and am not letting it go…ever! 🙂
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Good on you Hugh! 🙂
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You look FANTASTIC! 50 was when I started to really set my mind to writing – – it was a “now or never” type attitude and it got me into Huffington Post. I think the emotional confidence we gain is worth a little “beauty” tradeoff. But I also think if we didn’t keep such careful track of birthdays, our physical selves wouldn’t know when to age. Care to try fooling our bodies together? Throw out all the candles!
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Yes, I agree with you there Steph…no more keeping track of birthdays! I think once you reach 50 it seems you are more comfortable with who you are, and therefore more confident! I think you are an inspiration for being fab at 50! 🙂
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For me fifty was much easier than forty. At forty, I felt I had lost my youth By the time I turned fifty, it didn’t matter. The alternative to not having a birthday is much worse. LOL
I think you have a great attitude and you will love being fifty. Maybe all those women in purple hats are on the right track. 🙂
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Yes, I have to say I was a bit down when I reached 40, but am determined to try and be positive about reaching 50. I have had lots of positive comments as well from lovely people such as yourself which makes it all seem less scary!
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Hurrah for this post and your attitude! I have no doubt that you will indeed by fabulous after fifty! 🙂
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Thanks Karen! I am certainly going to try!
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Stupidly, I put my comment after the poem… No idea how…
whoopsy
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Don’t worry about it! 🙂
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I hope you wear purple and red hats too. xxx
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Oh yes, they sound good to me! 🙂
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An inspiring read Edwina, great attitude. I’ve past 60 and still enjoying my life! Aging never scared me. I only lied about my age once. I said I was older than I was before turning 40. Where I worked got people good at 40, so the lie got me out of the huge workplace campaign! No one ever thinks that women would lie about being older than they are. Made for a fun story. I was never caught in the lie til I turned 42!
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I am pleased that life just keeps getting better after turning 50. I will be less apprehensive about it now. It is pretty unusual to lie about being older but good on you for doing so! 🙂
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As several others have already said it’s just a number but as you hurtle towards it, it can look scarey! That said I’ve jumped the hurdle and life is good.
I also have no head for height but I did a parachute jump a few years back and loved it!
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Wow I am really impressed by the parachute jump! I know I could never do that! I’m glad that life is good afer 50. 🙂
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I turned fifty last October and have never felt better or more alive. I hope your fifty will be just as fabulous. http://thebestthingsinlifeblog.com/2014/10/25/today-i-am-fifty/
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Hi and thank you so much for commenting, It is great to hear some positive things about turning 50 🙂
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It is never too late enjoy reaching 50 this year i will turn 60. Not quite sure how it happened so quickly but my thought is just a number and i can use age as an excuse. In a good way of course. Plus you get seniors discount ! Hope u have a great 50th.
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Ha HA! Good for you Donna. Look on the bright side. I still have nearly a year to go, I was just musing on the fact that I was getting nearer and nearer to the end of my 40s!
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That is exactly the way you should think about it. There is a freedom in turning fifty. When I was younger I had a friend who turned fifty (I thought she was sooo old) and she said to me, “Honey, when you turn fifty, buy yourself a red dress and be proud.”
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Yes indeed. My nan used to say ‘red dress. no knickers’ does that still apply?! 🙂
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How funny!
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You’re never nearly 50??! Looking good girl!!!
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well, almost a year to go. Thanks so much Ritu. 🙂
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You’re never nearly 50??!! Looking good girl!!! 😊
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For my mum’s 50th we went to Go Ape, if you’re into heights and swinging from trees
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That sounds like fun – but I am terrified of heights!
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Ahah well maybe not then! When we went that was when my sister realised she had vertigo so she didn’t really enjoy it too much…
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Oh no, what a shame for your poor sister.
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In my mind, I’m still 15, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Good for you, and long may it last! 🙂
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Inspiring way to hit 50! Go for it all, Edwina!
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Thank you. It is looking a lot less scary now I must say!
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Reblogged this on inventing real life and commented:
It won’t be soon, but I’m pretty sure it will be fun to welcome my friend to the other side of 50. Also, it would be a good excuse to listen to some vintage Madonna. Holiday! Celebrate!
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Thanks for the reblog Marti, and I’ll be digging out the pointy bra for the occasion!
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For my big day, my adult daughters took me out to dinner at my favorite joint and then to a speakeasy! You had to go into a payphone and give the secret code to get in. Once inside, the cocktails were all retro and wonderful. It was the first time in a while that I got to bed that late and it was pretty cool to get to hang out with my girls.
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Oh that sounds lovely. What a thoughtful and special idea from your girls.
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I will turn 62 this year (how did that happen??), and I distinctly remember waking up the morning of my 60th birthday, and thinking how much better my life was at 60 than at 30. Age is only a number, right?!
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Right! 62????? You are looking damn good on it!
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You’re fabulous at forty, girl! What are you talking about? And I’m sure you will be at 50, too. You’re exactly right—it’s ALL about attitude. I found this quote the other day that spoke to me, and I thought I would share it: “Falling down is part of life.– Getting back up is living.” It’s time to hit the dance floor. After all, I think there’s a disco ball and some Madonna tunes calling your name! 😉 xo
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Thanks Tonya! Oh yes, there is indeed. I might even put some heels on and not be worried that I will break my neck! They will probably improve my dancing! I love the quote too. Very inspirational.
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“Rather than disappear, I am going to stand out in my fifties. the new confident me. ”
Love it! Go Edwina!
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50, hairy chin or not, somehow I can’t imagine you fading into the background. As I’ve had 2 yrs to reflect on what it’s like to be 50, let me tell you it’s good and we start to care less what other people think, even those cringe-worthy dodgy moves.
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Good, I am pleased that once past 50 there is not the worry about what others think of you.
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you are gonna be fantastic fifty and I will be super sixty. We will rock these decades!
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Oh yes we will for sure! 🙂
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