Young Electrify

Young Electrify

Having a Midlife Crisis is Both Fun and Therapeutic

Getting old is for the birds, so why bother? At 43, my life is much more fun than it ever was at 23. Back then it was all about dating, looking good and trying to make ends meet. Now I'm older, wiser and more comfortable with my life, everything is much more enjoyable than it used to be. No more competing with other women for a man, or being overly concerned about whether or not my clothes were the latest fashion. Been there, done that. Nowadays, I like to look good, but am not about to go wearing the trends worn by those in their twenties. My semi-conservative style being set through the years, I'm happy in business-casual clothes. Working from home, there is no need to dress up unless on occaision to go out. Here at home, who needs shoes? Gone are the days when I lived in high heels, to give my legs the "right" look. The heck with that. They're in my closet for special occaisions, and that is good enough for me.

Many people I know all have their own form of "midlife crises." We all show it differently. One of my friends is obsessive about weight lifting and looks better than any twentysomething at his gym. Another bought a Porsche, and takes it to car shows to show it off. As for me, I had minor facial rejeuvenation done to take off a scar or two, and bought a beautiful electric guitar I'd been wanting for ages. All my life, I just had acoustics, now I have two guitars, one acoustic/electric and one just electric. It's just fun for me, as I have no interest in being in a band, reminding me of my younger days when I used to play "Stairway to Heaven" or "Dust in the Wind" on my acoustic guitar. Now I can play "Back in Black" and other good rock riffs electrified. Oh, the little pleasures in life. Without them, we get old and wither up, so it's OK to enjoy them.

My friends say their kids think they are crazy, going to see old concerts of our favorite 80's bands. But, what is life without finally being able to go see a Rolling Stones or the Who concert (if you like rock and roll.) Bon Jovi is still around, and cuter than ever. Going back to our youths even for the moment, we buy t-shirts to remind ourselves of our glory days way back when. We're older, but not emotionally dead. It's refreshing to revisit things we once enjoyed, we all need our little outlets.

Revisiting childhood hobbies and desires can be painful, so it pays to watch out. I used to have a horse, and spent all my time as a kid over at the barn with him. Taking up horseback riding thirty pounds heavier and now with asthma, it is not as easy for me, but who cares. If it gets too much, then I stop and rest. Trying is better than wishing you had done it but not bothering to try. My horse trainer told me, "You look so happy riding." She has no idea. Galloping a horse over a jump is one of my most favorite pleasures in life, and even now, I still do it. It just takes a little work sucking in that stomach to fit into my riding breeches, that's all.

Go ahead, dare to look silly and enjoy yourself. We only have one life, so we need to live it to the fullest. Do it now, because someday it may be too physically difficult to do so. After having a herniated disk this last year, it became apparent to me that pain can cause us to have limited mobility. When my pain went away, it was a whole new lease on life that I treasure even more than before. Be good to your health, to give yourself the best shot at having many, many days of health and happiness. By allowing yourself to do the things you want to do, you will not have regrets later. Go for it, and have fun.

About the Author

Carolyn McFann is a scientific and nature illustrator, who owns Two Purring Cats Design Studio, which can be seen at: http://www.cafepress.com/twopurringcats . Educated at the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York, Carolyn is a seasoned, well-traveled artist, writer and photographer.

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