Day of Origin

Each year there is this thing that comes around called a Birthday.  It used to be such a celebratory thing for me that the prospect of its approach was always exciting. While the celebratory part hasn’t changed immensely (mainly due to the fact my daughter holds a wide-eyed outlook on birthdays — plus I always love any excuse to gather with friends) as the spectre of age creeps forward, this day holds a bit of a different meaning for me as it did in my youth.

Years ago, when I was a young assistant at a Production Company, an Executive Producer who I looked up to at the time once told me (on her birthday no less) that “…everything from the neck up gets better while everything below starts falling apart!”  While that may be true in some respects, there are definitely ways to defy aging that include more than just a few miracle face creams and hair dyes.  First and foremost, i truly believe that there is some credence to the adage that age is defined by how you feel.  To me, that’s a key to maintaining a youthful outlook on life. Maybe it’s having a 10 year old that keeps me on my toes or maybe it’s just holding on to a bit of that “Willy Wonka attitude” that helps to keep me young at heart.  While there are things that belong in the past with our younger 20-year-old selves, like trampoline jumps and tequila shots, there is still so much more exuberance in life that can keep us from falling apart from the neck down.  Of course, my body has had some set backs here and there, but I think it’s important to hold on to that belief that you are in control of your own destiny and to fight those set backs with zest & push onward.

I’m also a firm believer that you can start new endeavors at any age as long as you maintain a strong passion for it.  Quite frankly, Martha Stewart didn’t publish her first ‘entertaining’ book until she was 41…Laura Ingalls Wilder published her first book at 64…and Julia Child was well into her 40’s when she finally found her true calling in life.  Reinventing yourself doesn’t mean you have to shut the door on your past, but it can offer new found challenges that keep your mind sharp and enthusiasm for life strong.

Age shouldn’t keep you from doing the things you want to do.  Sure, it may mean cutting back on certain indulgences but age should be irrelevant as far as defining the self…you are in control of that.  There is a beauty and wisdom that comes with age that simply can’t be conquered in your 20’s.  It’s understanding i am who i am, owning it, and accepting flaws.  Embrace your positive qualities, learn from your mistakes and be willing to let go of the things you simply can’t change.  There’s excitement in a realization that you really never stop learning — as opposed to a stifling “i know it all” attitude.  That’s the real wonder of the world around us: we can continue to grow, continue to learn and continue to teach others along the way.   You may never have that 20-year-old physique again, but embrace those lines and smile with fondness when you look back upon the memories of the person that you once were and are yet to become.