Aging? Bring it on! Part One
Guest Post: Ronna Detrick
I found Ronna while searching for mature creative smart women living in the Pacific Northwest while trying to figure out Twitter. In her blog Renegade Conversations Ronna speaks from a brightly grounded mix of humor, spirituality, wisdom and truth-telling. So I was not surprised when the piece she sent me was so juicy it needed to be divided into two posts. Part Two will be posted a week from today. Thank you Ronna.
Aging? Bring it on!
Aging. Had you asked me even 5 years ago how I felt about it, I would have cringed slightly. You would have noticed the tension gathering on my forehead (while deeper wrinkles formed), and a flicker of fear in my eyes.
But when you ask me today? Laughter, confidence, and a resounding response of, “Bring it on!”
I don’t know all of what has brought about this change. But I have a hunch. Over the past 5 years (and longer) I have been more boldly stepping into and enjoying who I am. It was tentative at first. The risks felt far too great; the ramifications more than I thought I could bear. But slowly, steadily, and now with increasing pace, I live in a much different reality. No more apologies. No more excuses. No more silence. No more hiding. No more morphing myself into who someone else needs/wants me to be. I have become stronger, louder, and dare I say, more beautiful.
There is a part of me that instantly feels I should tone down or apologize for what could sound like shameless egotism. But quickly, kindly, powerfully another voice says, “No! Say what’s true. Live out loud. Acknowledge it all!”
I wonder: is it possible that our editing, censoring, hyper-critical voice is the very one that causes us to age in ways less desirable? The voice that tells us we’re not enough, no longer desirable, unattractive. (The voice that’s screamed via the media every second of the day?) I don’t want to listen to that voice anymore. I want to hear – and roar – my own.
Aging? Bring it on!
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As someone who returned to dance last year at the age of 40, I have been contemplating our concepts of aging quite deeply (and will be writing about it this week, starting tomorrow).
But I know one thing is certain: we age how we believe we will age. We tell ourselves (and others) stories about aging and then we live those stories.
I don’t have time for that. I have dancing to do. And I am stronger and more creative than I have ever been in my life.
Christine-We all live in our bodies but dancers are who we want to watch while they do it. It will be a powerful message; how you dance own art of aging, right here right now. What will you show us? With photos I hope! Thank you