Help!   I woke up one morning and seem to have lost my waist.  I don’t know where it went, but it has vanished.  In fact the elasticity in my skin must have left with it as well as lots of color in my hair.  I am left with a changing shape, flabby skin and grey hair.  I have been speaking to many of my friends who have had the same thief steal these things from them too, but that doesn’t make me any happier knowing others are experiencing this as well.  Do I dare utter the words change of life or middle age to describe my new state of being, or do I pretend it isn’t happening?  At first I tried to ignore it until one day while out with friends another  ‘perk’ of my new state of being occurred, a hot flash.  I tried to pretend nothing was happening, but with sweat beads forming on my upper lip, running down the side of my face along with a very red face, it was hard for anyone within a five foot radius of me to not notice and ask if I was okay.  Ah the joys of growing old.  Not only do we have lots of hard knock life experience under our belts, we now get to grow out of our belts as well.  I have tried all the ‘tricks’ that once worked to tone up the body and moisturize the skin, but all to no avail.  I am now clueless on how to handle my new situation in life and have become a student of middle age.  Supplements, herbs, more deliberate and diligent exercise, teas, and creams are all part of my new reality; my attempt to maintain whatever youth I have left and keep the wrinkles at bay.  I am fast approaching a half a century, yet still feel like the little kid I always thought I would be.  I remember being the age my kids are now, yet I am no longer that age, they are!

Ah the joys of growing older, it is inevitable.  There is no way to avoid it and something I am gradually getting use to.  I am now the voice of reason my children and their friends seek out for ‘life advice’.  I have lived through some unbelievable highs and some very tragic lows and this gives me experience.  I find myself saying remember when while looking back on things.  I am finding the new technology hard to comprehend at times, do not recognize most stars and musicians under the age of 35 and find myself asleep by 10 PM.  I am doing the best I can fitting into my new skin.  While it is a shock to the system to think that I am growing old, I am learning to relish my new role as a voice of reason, an elder who can offer some sage advice and a woman with grown children ready to embark on the second act of a very interesting life.  If the second half is as interesting as the first half was, I am in for one hell of a ride.  I will however have all the experience I need, for according to my body, I am now all grown up!