Growing Pains

I just went to a lovely going away party for a friend of mine. It was thrown by a Irish/British woman and we had a true tea with scones, clotted cream and jam, and tea sandwiches. I loved it! While there, a few *topics* came up. Because I have such a wide age range of friends from the AWCB (many of whom were there), I have learned a lot about what is to come with each future birthday. Wow, I am not looking forward to getting older!!!

Between all my 26-34 year old friends, I have learned more about child birth, breastfeeding and "tearing" than I ever wanted to know. And then my 40-50 year old friends tell me all about informing your kids on the 'birds and the bees' and the ups and downs of being married for 15-20 years. And then my 50-65 years old friends tell me all about menopause, and hot flashes and everything I have to look forward to. One of them has recently been divorced and another just lost her husband.

In one way I feel very lucky to know what is to come so that I won't be surprised. But in another way, I just dread getting older. I never used to be one of those who 'worried about getting old' but the more I know about it, the more I do! However, one of the good things about knowing what is to come is remembering to enjoy what I have now. I recently complained about putting on a few pounds, but after seeing this website (warning: some of the most disgusting pictures I have ever seen, but everyone should click on this to see what women go though!) I am thinking that a few more pounds is nothing! My cousin is here visiting with his 21 year old girlfriend. I was looking over at her yesterday in her size 2 mini-skirt and thinking "Honey, I used to look like that too and you have no clue what is to come." I wonder if that is what all these other women think when they look at me...