This question, in all it’s poetic glory, surfaced in our new podcast today. We were talking about what it’s like to be fifty. To feel a bit invisible. To wonder about whether our synapses can still accept new information.
SPOILER ALERT: HECK NO YOU ARE NOT DONE.
You are not done at 51 even if:
- You feel tired. we’re all tired. The entire world is tired. It’s ok.
- You feel invisible. As stated above, it’s a thing. You turn 50 and then you become non existent. You give up and start wearing skorts. But invisibility is a wonderful thing at times. Just ask Harry Potter.
- You are a wee bit menopausal. Ok, this one is just for me but you know. If you are a uterus person and you are of a certain age, it’s gonna happen. There are pros and cons. I don’t have time to cover them all here but I will say this: Those cooling mattress pad thingies that cost crackamillion dollars on the amazons? BUY THEM. DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. JUST GO.
- You are constantly reminded by your eleven year old spawn that you are: “The like oldest mom in my class! Even older than my teacher! By like a lot! We talked about it and made a chart and yep you are IT!”
All of these things are things that happen at 50. They especially tend to happen if you are:
- female
- silver-haired (which sounds weird but go here. You’ll see).
- A bit late in the baby-birthing game so you are in that weird limbo of totally menopausal but also still stuck talking about minecraft all the time
- any combination of the above but the female thing is kinda crucial
I’m not one to brag* but lately? I have started a podcast, figured out co-hosting, not completely made my co-host mad at me not even once, and also managed to keep my kids off screens nonstop for the first two weeks of summer.
I AM THE BOSS.
If you are feeling kinda… done? At 51? Or 21? or whenever-one?
You’re not. It’s just not a thing. I realize that mullets are a thing, and mom jeans are a thing now, and Bennifer has become, yet again, a THING.
But: BEING DONE IS JUST NOT A THING.
So. Carry on, mommas.
PSA: Naps are a thing though. #priorities
*not exactly the truth.
Dana Bowman 