Monday, May 19, 2008

One Confident Woman

There is an interview with Jamie Lee Curtis in the May/June Issue of AARP Magazine. She is one woman who knows who she is and what she wants. And I love her hair! Maybe when more well-known women celebrate their graying hair, those of us who keep our gray will not be such a rarity. Jamie Lee will turn 50 in November.

I admire her confidence. In the face of all that is Hollywood she is making her own life, doing what is best for her and her family. Jamie Lee is active, eats healthy, and goes to bed early. She has simplified her wardrobe. She looks and sounds happpy.

I would like to talk to Jamie Lee about how she got to this place in her life. I wonder if she ever second guesses her decisions or finds herself stalled as she wonders what to do next. How does she find clothes that fit and feel good? What do she and her husband talk about? The interview hits the high spots ~ I want to know how to live that life day to day and not repeatedly question my decisions.

I am at a turning point in my life. My clothes don't fit right, and I don't like my shoes. I'm not unhappy about my weight, but my body is shifting and changing without my permission. I can no longer eat anything I want in any quantity I choose and still feel good or sleep through the night. I love coffee ~ straight, black, hot-from-the-pot coffee. For the first time in my life I have to think about how much coffee I drink at night. I never, ever thought the words, "I better have just one cup" would come out of my mouth.

I want a good healthy dose of Jamie Lee Curtis confidence. If there is a pill or procedure, sign me up. But I don't think it works that way. I think confidence comes with self knowledge and hard work. I think it comes with staying present and letting go. I think it takes tears and time, trial and error. I think when you get there you know it, and I'm not there yet.

My mantra this week is compliments of Coach Jimmy Dugan in A League of Their Own. When Dottie complained, "It just got too hard," Jimmy replied, "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard makes it great."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I, too, was struck with the AARP article about Jamie Lee Curtis AND her haircut. When I saw her photo on the cover I thought, "What a great cut. That would look fantastic on Sharon." Honest! I love that she is open about not coloring her hair. I decided long ago to let nature take its course in regards to my hair. For a while I told the kids that my hair was frosted. I'm not sure which came first, the heavy frosting or the kids maturing (maybe the two went hand-in-hand), but it's been a long time since I could get away with the frosting notion without a big wink, wink.

This morning I attended a church service in which part of the topic was having our needs met. Not our wants, but our needs. As I age and my life style has changed, I find that needs are really quite minimal. And they are met in simple ways. Jamie Lee said we should ask ourselves two questions: Did I learn to live wisely? Did I love well?

A few years ago I read something that struck a chord with me and is along the same line of thinking. I keep it posted where I can read it and remind myself every day.

Work with joy.
Pray with love.
Dream from your heart.
Share what you have.
Live simply. Love deeply.


Us 50-somthings have lived some, been over our share of humps, and gained some wisdom along the way. And, we're still learning to live wisely.