Second Act
What does it mean to age gracefully? Does it mean you just lean into it and just let the gray hair grow in or does it mean you make little tweaks here and there to stay youthful? When I say tweaks, I’m not speaking of full-blown fillers and Botox or so I thought. Last week I did something I said I’d never do. I got Botox. I know, crazy, I’m a black woman we age like fine wine. I was getting eyebrow lamination and the aesthetic nurse doing my brows also does Botox injections, fillers, permanent make-up and the like. So, I thought, why not? After all I’ve gotten microdermabrasion, facials, waxing, and brow tinting. You can look and feel beautiful at any age.
I wrote a potential post about letting myself go physically like stop shaving, waxing my eyebrows and coloring the very little gray hair that I have, but how ridiculous is that? Do I want to look like a cavewoman just because I’m past a certain age? I’m not dead. I’d have long strands of hair hanging underneath my chin, nose hairs exposed, and I wouldn’t feel my best either.
Should you give up and let your body go? No. Should you not pursue old goals like getting a doctorate degree because you are ready to retire? Absolutely not. Retirement is your opportunity for a second act. I wish I could retire right now. I would accomplish so much. Age doesn’t define you. Recently I was thinking about get twenty-inch hair extensions because I want long, thick hair now. I’m not going to stop doing things that make me feel beautiful because of my age. I’m so young and there’s plenty of time left. Why would I stop living now?
Why would you let your body go. You should want to be healthy. Exercise doesn’t stop when you age and it’s never too late to start. You should want to be your best self.
When are you too old to just say well that’s not going to happen, or I don’t have the energy anymore to make that happen or society says I’m too old to make that happen? Society has no say so. You determine what happens.
Should I still pursue being a Hollywood actress? If that’s what you want, absolutely. Should I let the fact that older women roles are very limited. Are they?
Now is the time to pursue those dreams that you always had but allowed life to get in the way. I am working harder than I ever have before on a nine to five job and it’s really interfering with my goals and dreams. I look forward to the day I retire and commit one hundred percent of my time to writing. As long as you’re alive it’s never too late.
