I went to the fiftieth birthday party for a friend of mine tonight. It was a surprise, and happily she was surprised, which is amazing considering that all the guests see each other every day (she's our cook at school). We had a good time roasting her, eating, and talking. The usual ingredients to a 50th birthday were part of the conversation: "I can't believe I'm that old," etc., etc. At one point I said to her, would you really like to go back to a younger age? She said yes, at first, but after talking a bit, she agreed that she liked who she had become after all these years.I feel the same way. Even though there have been days I'd like to forget, could even have done without, if I were to go back to, say, 30 something, I would have missed out on so much! And there are many things I've done in the past 15+ years that I've really enjoyed, and wouldn't trade for anything.
Earlier in the day I was wearing a beautiful purple and gold shawl that I bought in Ephesus, Turkey, this summer. Several people asked me about it, so I shared the interesting (at least to me) story about the lady who ran the shop where I bought the shawl. She was the very first woman shop keeper in the city of Ephesus. Apparently the male shop keepers did not feel it was appropriate for a female to be running a shop. Every morning when she would go to her place to open it up, she would find notes slipped under the door telling her in no uncertain terms that she had no business running a business. She told me that it was a terrible time for a long while before they finally left her alone. There's a story I would not have known (and I shawl I wouldn't have bought...and I country I never would have been in) had I been 30 something.
I watched Mamma Mia! tonight and enjoyed it quite a bit. The actors are among my favorites (Meryl Streep, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan), the music was fun, and the Greek scenery was amazing. Perhaps I appreciated it more since I was there this summer. Another thing I wouldn't have done if I was still 35...
2 comments:
I really loved Mama Mia... especially since I watched it with my sister at the theater... then we got the whole family to go the second time. It is hard not to sing the songs... I never realized ABBA had so many hits. When I need a boost I play the soundtrack to or from work. I agree with you on the age thing and I just turned 54. I would not go back. I just posted about that on my blog also!
IEG--I didn't know they had so many songs either...except...I knew quite a few of them. Sometimes you don't realize how much there is a thing until you put the pieces all together in one place like that movie.
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