Sexy Older Women

"Mommy, your eyes look old..." I was told without a trace of cruelty or innuendo by my eldest daughter the other day.

Old as in wise or old as in old?  I hope mostly old as in wise, but I know there is definitely some old-as-in-old: nearly 47 years old, which feels old to a 46 year old, (and an eight year old) but not necessarily to a 60 year old.  I know there are a lot of people out there who would view me as a spring chicken, and I've also had students guess my age somewhere in the three digits range, so I guess it's all a matter of perspective.

On Monday, my Sweetie and I went to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and, damn, if those old ladies weren't beautiful!  Judi Dench in particular really caught my attention and fancy.  Her hair was crew-cut and white, her face was deeply lined, she was pleasantly plump and attired in cozy, Indian pajama-liked garb throughout and she looked HOT.

When I see men (which I do every day, believe it or not), my first thought is seldom to do with their age; that includes movie stars and mere mortals.  They are men.  Plain and simple.  I love them: men are delightful characters in all sizes, shapes and ages.  Suffice it to say, you don't need to look like Don Draper to qualify for me finding you attractive.  That just wouldn't be fair, would it?

I don't think it's fair to have a particular type when there are so many wonderful types that a person can be open to!  Anyway, that's beside the point, since my type is presently the darling guy I am choosing to spend my life with.  What other type would it be?

But back to my original thesis about ageism against women: older women are beautiful!  I watched that whole movie in awe of these delectable creatures I saw on the screen, the young and the old.

I kept wondering why I am so obsessed (okay, not obsessed, but concerned) with my deepening wrinkles and crinkles and sprigs of grey and that unique triangle sagging in the inner eye that we Rempel kids all seem to have.  When I look at my brother and sister and me together, we are quite a handsome trio - 49, 46, and 42 respectively.  I don't look at them and analyze how old they look in pictures, but I hone in on myself and check for sagging chin (dab o' whipping cream), hawkish eyes, bingo wings, the lot.

Why?  Because I am vain.  Because I read fashion magazines.  Because I watch TV shows and movies where celebrities have had the bejeezus botoxed out of them and wear a size 0, yet look large compared to some of their famous friends.

My bootiful sister and me on the overnight train in Thailand

It was so refreshing to watch this movie and reflect on more than the wisdom of old(er) people, but also on their beauty.  I'm going to give it a go and try to embrace that in myself.  No promises, but my new start is going to be looking for the beauty I see in the mirror before looking for the age.  Because age is not a deficit.  It just is.  I've earned what I look like.  I like where I've been and what I've done so I'll try to be proud of what I see in the mirror.

Gonna try...I want to be a sexy older woman!