It’s my birthday and I love all the celebrations planned
which will last for more than a week as I get wined and dined by family and
friends. Perhaps it is because as someone who first had cancer at 39, I take
each year as a bonus and I am just pleased to still be here to celebrate.
I realize as I get older that I am supposed to stop counting
the years but you know what, I am pretty proud of reaching this milestone of
62. I mean when I think of my mother at
this age, she seemed old, a real senior citizen. Not me. Like many women of my age, I still have lots
I want to do and achieve.
Reaching this third chapter in my life, I’ve been reflecting
on exactly how I want to spend my time. There was a point, to be honest, when I
considered retiring, of selling Company of Women and “sailing off into the
sunset”, but you know what, that’s not what I want to do, it was more what I
thought was expected of me when I turned 60.
And therein lies the truth. Sixty, sixty-two -- they are just numbers. Many of my friends have chosen to retire or
semi-retire, and good for them, but that’s not for me. As reality is, no matter
what your age – it is essential you be true to yourself. I cherish
and welcome the opportunity to explore new horizons. To stop working would feel like
an amputation, like I would be cut off from the world I know and love. Clearly I have some work to do on my identity,
because I am not my business. I guess I am still a work in progress.
Like many women, I used to care far too much about what
other people thought, but as I’ve got older, I’ve realized that this crone has
some wise words to share and maybe I need to speak up more, say what I think
and share the wisdom I have garnered, sometimes the hard way, from living my
life.
So stay tuned, as I truly reach my prime. Who knows what
this third chapter will bring.
