All The Wrinkled Ladies

Have you seen it? Anita Renfroe's take-off on Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies"? Oh my goodness. I laughed so hard - because I so relate to it. Here's the video:



Leave it to Anita to make us laugh about our wrinkles. She always makes me laugh, and she always makes me think, too. Since I'll be turning the big "6-0" this year, I have to face facts..."Face Lift" facts. Like - I'm probably not going to ever get one, so I have to learn to love those wrinkles, right?

Back in the day when I sold Mary Kay, I used to tell the ladies (as they looked in their magnifying mirrors), "Don't worry honey. If your husband is that close to you, he's not thinking about your wrinkles!" And I'd tell them to use upward strokes for their skin care saying, "Ya'll know everything's going south, so you have to start early." Which reminds me. The other day I put on a belt and looked at myself in the mirror. Would you believe there was no space between the belt and my bosom? What's up with that?

Last weekend I went to a reunion of my high school graduating class, where we all celebrated our 60th Birthday. I walked in and thought who are all of these old people? I did not recognize anybody! The lady doing registration gave us name tags, but you couldn't see them without your glasses. (No one had on glasses, so I didn't wear mine either...well, not until I absolutely had to.) So, people were coming up to me saying, "Oh Gail, it's so good to see you!" I was so embarrassed because I didn't know who they were and couldn't read their name tags.

Another thing I noticed was that there were very few grey haired women there. One lovely friend (also named Gail) had beautiful grey hair just like Paula Deen's, which I aspired to emulate. Well, I am so glad I decided to color my hair before I went. Just three days before, I was as grey as a possum. Both of my daughters told me, "Mom, you need a makeover", so I finally agreed. You've heard of going grey over night? Well, I did just the opposite. I finally faced the fact that my hair would probably never look like Paula Deen's because my mother is 80 and is still salt & pepper grey.

So, there we were...all of us without our glasses (some probably had contacts) and our freshly colored hair. We were looking good! I especially admired one gal's color of red. It was just like I Love Lucy's. I admired her courage - and it looked great, too! I think I'll do that color next!

But boy, you could tell how old we were when the dancing started. The band (named Mid-Life Crisis, appropriately) was outstanding. When they played "Give Me Some Lovin", the dance floor was full. That was "the" song to dance to back in the late 60's.Well, by the next song,"You Say It's Your Birthday", the crowd had thinned out considerably, and gasping for air was heard all around. I really related to that line in Anita's song, "thought I'd do a dip, but don't wanna bust a hip!" By 9:00 PM, most of the old folks had gone home to get ready for bed. Trust me, I was ready, but determined to stay till 10:00, I persevered.

We had a really, really good time. Jem and I danced almost every dance. As a matter of fact, Jem danced every dance. There was always a wrinkled, single lady ready to be his dance partner (and sometimes multiples). One friend said my rabbi husband was so much fun, that she thought she might become Jewish! He's always the life of the party, and I am one lucky gal, I tell you! After a two hour drive home that night, by the next morning, we were in bad shape, believe me. While that song, "Give Me Some Lovin'" was running through my mind, I didn't mention it.

Hey, like my daughter, Melissa, said, "You're not dead yet!" That's exactly right. I'm at peace with my wrinkles, my grey hair (underneath the dye), my bi-focals, my poochy stomach, lumpy thighs, and all that. I keep telling myself, "Self, you are not getting older, you are getting better!" Most days I believe it! Others, not so much.

Like one of my 80 year old friends said, "Getting old is not for sissies!" Well, there's only one alternative, honey, so we've got to make the best of it, right?

I'm thankful G-d has let me live this long. I've had a good life so far, and I'm very happy and content. My husband tells me I get more beautiful every day and I believe him. I feel the same way about "all the wrinkled ladies" at the Lee High 60th Birthday Party Reunion. Every one of them looked beautiful...wrinkles and all! (Especially to me, 'cause I didn't have my glasses on!)

Here we are - and I think we all look really good for 60 year old ladies!!! Don't you?



Writing prompt from Mama Kat’s Writers Workshop: A Happy Reunion