I have shared the somewhat scary truths about the change in my two previous posts, but now we must go deeper. Another unexpected change that I have found to be very common as women age is that, as women embrace a new keep-it-simple mindset, we also desire for only things that actually matter to matter. We are done with life-draining activities and spirit-crushing people. Life is too short to waste any time or energy on the trivial, unimportant, and ridiculous. Simply said, no more drama! We are over it! We are less likely to get flustered by life’s daily details. It perhaps is because at our age, we have experienced so much, we know how to handle the issues that arise. Perhaps we are just better at self-control, patience, or empathy. Perhaps we have grown in our self-confidence or skillsets. Perhaps we have more time and less to do. Perhaps we remain calmer because we have a closer relationship with God and we trust that He is in control. Perhaps it’s because we are just tired, I mean bone tired. Or dare I say more likely, we’re sick and tired. We have become a nation of young whiners who are experts in scapegoating our way through our challenges. Our world has become inundated with overly dramatic people who somehow manage to garner public attention and support. I do find it intriguing that rarely do you find an older woman as a whiner. (Sorry I became a whiner for a moment.) All of that is to say that with age comes maturity and with it, simplicity. Keep your middle-school drama and theatrics out of our way. We don’t want to hear it. You’ll find us on the porch swing with a glass of wine, talking to hummingbirds, and reading a great book. Or playing with our grandchildren, should we be blessed to have any! (Pause briefly to take a deep breath and savor the moment. And exhale.)
By now you have likely figured out either from experience or foreshadowing, that as men age, they too transition. Our carefree, “just give me a beer and a ball game” younger men have also begun a shift in their perspective as well. The man in your life who previously never knew where anything was in the kitchen will now grumble that a utensil was placed in the wrong spot in the drawer or that the chip clips belong in the drawer with the potholders and not in the pantry… “Because for 20 years, that’s where they have always been!” Yes, I am aware we all have our own little idiosyncrasies. But the behaviors I am referencing are nothing short of school-girl hysteria coming from grown men who are old enough to know that life is short and getting shorter! There is no time or energy or desire for discussion, more less an argument, about the silverware being placed into the divided compartments differently than the usual. I personally was thrilled when someone else emptied the dishwasher and I don’t care which cubby they chose for each type of utensil! They were all put away in the correct drawer and divided by type. I’m good. Pardon me that I had no idea that this utensil disbursement was a violation of kitchen management guidelines and the universe as we know it may forever be altered! (In the South, this would be a great example of when to use the statement “Bless his heart”.)
I would probably be seeking medical assistance at this point except for hearing examples of these types of challenges in the homes of friends and family also dealing with the getting older paradigm. Perhaps you have even noticed some of these changes in your world. Do not be afraid! Keep your wine and your prayer journal close along with your socks, blanket, fan, tank top, and a few boxes for sorting your collectables.
And never forget…have a blessed day!