It’s ok to go from Miss to Ma’am
It took me by surprise when I noticed that strangers were now referring to me as “Ma’am” instead of “Miss.” I’ll admit that I didn’t like it. The mirror on my wall reflects to me how I feel – like a Miss – but obviously my exterior appearance didn’t match that for folks.
After getting over the shock, I realized that Ma’am came with other benefits. Ma’am is a term of respect and I’m now proud to respond to that title. It also reminded me to embrace where I’m at. Don’t try to live in the past and don’t rush ahead. Stop, relish and love the moment you’re in.
Enjoy this stage of life
In some cultures they revere their elders and look to them for wisdom. We live in a society that focuses on youth, and that sometimes makes it difficult to embrace our aging selves. Our bodies are changing, and our hairs may be graying, but we can also be vibrant, young at heart and full of wit and wisdom.
Have you ever heard the term, “Growing old gracefully?” When I heard that I always thought it only applied to your appearance, that you look young for your age. I now realize that aging gracefully can also mean how you process and accept aging.
We have to work on finding the balance between getting older while not buying into the stereotypical ideas of what aging is.
Ways to embrace aging
- Practice self-acceptance – Do what feels right for you. And know that those feelings may change, and that’s ok too.
- Keep your mind and body active – Keep learning and keep moving.
- Make your own path – Aging today doesn’t have to look like it did years ago. It continues to be redefined.
We’re growing in age and in number
According to the World Health Organization, “By 2030, 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. At this time the share of the population aged 60 years and over will increase from 1 billion in 2020 to 1.4 billion. By 2050, the world’s population of people aged 60 years and older will double (2.1 billion). The number of persons aged 80 years or older is expected to triple between 2020 and 2050 to reach 426 million.”
Do you see the power in those numbers? Where we now are sometimes treated like a marginalized group, our power will continue to grow. In those societies where aging isn’t valued, we can change that. That’s our mission!
What do you enjoy most about aging? Share in the comments.