Older!? Me!?

Recently my beautiful niece, Stacey posted something on her Facebook page that gave me a laugh. She shared how she had gone to church that Sunday morning where they were announcing a young girls 16th birthday. Stacey shared that she could help but feel 'old' when she realized that she had taught this girl in Sunday School when this now 16 yr old was 11. Old? Stacey is a mere 25 yrs old.  She has so much to learn about 'feeling' old.

I will share with you what I shared with Stacey...Having our first child at 18 years old, I was always the youngest mother, the youngest wife and the youngest it seemed, at any event I attended. I remember not enjoying it at the time because the 'Older' women always had some sort of words of wisdom for me. It was as if they felt I didn't know anything about life. At the time, it was very irritating. Now the child I had at 18 yrs old is thirty and there have been six children added to our family since her birth. I haven't been able to figure out if it was Me that was older or my children getting older....Until recently.

I have been helping out at our church babysitting for the MOPS group in our area. For those that don't know, MOPS stands for 'Mothers of Pre-Schoolers'. They are a national group of Moms that meet once a month to share and compare notes about their lives, loves and children. Recently, a friend came to me and asked me to be a mentor to these Moms of Pre-Schoolers. What you need to know is, a couple of these 'young' mothers are actually my friends. So, that being said, I thought to myself, "Wow! What a great idea!" I figured I could hang with my 'girlfriends' and really enjoy the time spent. WELL! I really need to stop talking to myself and shutting out the things that people are trying to tell me because I seem to have missed one important part of this friends sentence. What I was actually asked was "We would like you to be a mentor to the MOPS. I think you would be a great addition. (patting myself on the back) They really need OLDER WOMEN that have had life experiences like you." WHAT?! WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY TO ME?!?!?! DID YOU JUST USE THE WORDS 'OLDER WOMAN' TO DESCRIBE ME?! In my head......I heard the brakes of a cartoon bus going off. An alarm started ringing in my head and suddenly, I felt the need to drink a bottle of Geritol! Me....an Older Woman? When did that happen?

I have always been told that I don't act my age and I have always taken it as a compliment. I am always the person that the 20 something crowd navigates to and thought it was just because I was so young at heart. Now though, since this eye opening event, I realize that it isn't my young at heart attitude and the fact that I relate to them,that the Young One's come to me, it's because they see me as an Older Woman! Someone with Experience! Someone that can share events in her life that may be able to direct these people of the YOUNGER GENERATION down the right path! LOL When did this happen and why didn't anyone tell me?!?!?!

I'm looking at turning 50 this next year. It doesn't bother me in the least. I have actually been looking forward to it. I feel that after everything I have been through in the last last several years, I deserve 50! 50, for me, says that I have a right to be just who I am with no excuses needed. I may be 50 chronologically but mentally, I still felt 30. Yes, I said FELT, LOL I was fine up until the point that it was made painfully obvious that I was OLD. I ask again....WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?!

I will admit, I have seen the deeper lines along my eyes. I have chalked them up to having a happy life. The gray hair, well, It has been something inherited from my fathers side of the family. Not being able to keep up with my kids just meant that they were growing and getting faster. Looks like now, I have been trying to ignore the fact that I have been getting older! 'Yes Lynn, the aging fairy has pounded you with her old age wand and there is no going back' LOL

Well, I guess I'm not the only one in this boat. In fact, if I am not mistaken, I have a Facebook page full of friends that will all be turning 50 this next year and correct me if I am wrong, but I think there are a couple that are already there! The things is, I don't see any of them as old! There are a few that I wish I could squeeze the staying young gene out of them and mix it in my coffee every morning.I'm just thankful I'm not the only one in this boat. I'm happy to see that there are those among me that feel 30 but are hitting 50. It also comforts me to know that I do have friends that are considered 'Older' and what a blessing it is to be able to become wiser, more experienced and happier as the years go on, together.