Friday, June 5, 2009

Blessings Friday: Life is a Gift

While my age doesn’t normally bother me (I recently turned 57), some things about getting older confuse me—like the eternal human angst about existence, the biological changes impacting my health, and my emotional/psychological feelings about transformations visually apparent. I guess we could call this the Graying of Junie Moon. The last few days have been about accepting that fact.

Instead of worrying about things I cannot change (as in I’ll never be 21 again), I decided to celebrate myself as a woman and do what I normally consider frou-frou stuff. Appointments for manicure/pedicure and hair were made. Then I did something yesterday normally avoided like the plague—mall shopping.


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First, I was fitted for new bras at Macy’s, discovering like about 92% of the female population I’ve been wearing the wrong size for years. Basics in white, black, and nude were purchased, more colorful bras can be future buys if I decide to get sassy.


© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved


I traipsed to the other end of the mall to visit the Chanel counter at Dillards. My purchases were a new lipstick (Rouge Allure in the color Voluptuous) and a jar of Précision Ultra Correction Eye Cream which I’d been testing in sample form morning and night for the last few weeks and decided I love.

While the consultant was messing around with picking out a good color for me, she invited me to an upcoming event “Defining Natural Beauty with Chanel”. I accepted her invitation as I need help figuring out what works for me now that my hair is gray and my skin tones have changed.


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A trip to Coach to see their new rings (at home I found the one I want on eBay at a much better price and bought it) and then a quick detour to Borders on my way out of the mall to pick up a Fodor’s guide for our Caribbean cruise in October. This may not sound like major mall shopping to you, but it’s all I can tolerate.


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While I’m quite excellent at keeping my clothes in good order, I periodically have to purge. So I spent this morning doing so and did it without mercy of any sort. The picture above is my armoire: top shelf is for socks, second shelf is for panties, and the bottom two shelves are for t-shirts and golf shirts.


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I use vintage padded lingerie organizer boxes to hold my small items (purchased years ago on eBay).


© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved

Only three dresser drawers are needed for my other things so I cleaned those out, too. A whole bagful of mostly unworn cashmere sweaters were purged. They are going to my sister—I kept only two cashmeres and a few other pieces as I don’t need sweaters that often in Arizona.


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This drawer holds my collection of swimsuits and pareos (sarongs). The pareo on the left is one of my treasures—an enormous pure silk piece hand-painted to feature a mermaid and sea life.


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Since I live mostly in pareos during the summer, I don’t need a lot of shorts but did keep a few. Skorts are my favorite for golf but I hang those in the closet.


© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved


A number of bags are going to the donation center. My thinking is that I have enough stuff, so I was very judicious in the purge (see #17 in the list below).


© June Scroggin, All Rights Reserved


After all this, how do I feel now? Wonderful! Instead of bemoaning my aging, I’m celebrating my transformation. And I realize that it's how I feel about myself, not how I appear to others, that really counts. My friend Kristie told me something the other day that really resonates: "Rest, relaxation, and self-care are NOT luxuries, June. They are survival skills."

My sister Connie emailed the following to me this morning which perfectly echoes my thoughts about celebrating living. It was written by Regina Brett, ~ 50+ years old, of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, Ohio who says, "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."
  1. "Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
  2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
  3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
  4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
  5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
  6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
  7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
  8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
  9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
  10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
  11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
  12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
  13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
  14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
  15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
  16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
  17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
  18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
  19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
  20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
  21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
  22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
  23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
  24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
  25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
  26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
  27. Always choose life.
  28. Forgive everyone everything.
  29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
  30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
  31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
  32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
  33. Believe in miracles.
  34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
  35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
  36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
  37. Your children get only one childhood.
  38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
  39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
  40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
  41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
  42. The best is yet to come.
  43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
  44. Yield.
  45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

13 comments:

dutchcomfort said...

What a wonderful post June! We share the same age! Some feelings you describe are so recognizable to me.

What I find the hardest is that my mind doesn’t fit my body’s age. I still feel so young and lots of people actually think I’m much younger.... very flattering.

Accepting is the key-word I guess. And counting ones blessings. What I love about being 57 is a kind of peaceful feeling, calmth and knowledge. If only every day could be like that, but they aren’t...LOL!

I think we need to allow ourselved to occasionally shed some tears for times that have changed and will never be the same!

Love and hugs)

meg said...

Can you hear me applauding you from way over here in TX? :) Well done, Junie Moon! You must feel so refreshed.

And can I tell you how encouraged I feel after reading this post? It was exactly what I needed today, and I didn't even know it; thank you so much.

Unknown said...

Thanks for stopping by my site. I think we all can learn from each other. I'm learning late in life about being frugal, but because I don't have a family to worry about anymore my approach is different. I think we all need to apply things to out own particular circumstances. I like what you had to say today, not that I do it, but you made me think about what I can do. Thanks for the inspiration. Linda

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Hi June!

Happy belated birthday wishes to you! I am not far behind you in date or age :-)

I am glad you took time to pamper yourself a little. Your upcoming cruise sounds wonderful!

You are so neat and organized. I'd never show my closet and drawers on my blog...lol

One thing..my daughter sent the same exact e-mail to me and being the fact researcher that I am I googled Regina Brett and found out that the author is really not 90 -- she is in her 50's!! So her essay applies even more in my opinion.

Love and hugs, Pat

karen said...

Hi June - Thanks very much for posting the list. Perfect timing.

I don't get this age thing at all. I turned 50 two years ago and my hair has gotten really grey, my skin on my hands has got wrinkled, I need glasses I forget people's names, gained weight, have to search for words, fall asleep sitting on the couch and don't hear as well. It seems to have happened overnight - but I "feel" the same as when I was in my mid 20s.

going to have a little nap now

Thimbleanna said...

Love, love that list June! Thanks so much for posting it. You're so organized -- Bravo to you. I need to take #17 and give it a big workout around here. And 29 -- love it!

Beth said...

Kristie sounds like a smart friend!
Our shells remind us of the passing years though our spirits still feel young. Enjoy your transformation but don't change too much!!

rohanknitter said...

Good for you! I think we all need a "girly" day once in awhile. (although I hear you about dreading the mall -ugh) I love the list!!

Heidi said...

Mall shopping? Bra buying? Two of my least favorite activities. I sorry, I'm feeling a bit light-headed now...

SilkArtFromBrazil said...

Your post rang a huge bell, since I am turning 50 this week. It is true that everything in your body goes kind of downward but, on the other side, I could never have lived the kind of life I live now (100% dedicated to my art) when I was in my 20s or 30s.
So, (champagne popping sound) here is to the 50s!
Maria,
http://SilkArtFromBrazil.com

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

Happy recent birthday! I love this post! And I love Chanel makeup. Using any of their products even once a day makes everything feel so decadent. It's all about the little things isn't it?

Junie Moon said...

Thank you to everyone who left a comment on this post. Your names have been entered into my drawing.

Diane Schuller said...

you are amazing at organization June. I too know that great feeling after purging closets -- I do it twice a year as a rule. I must say that Kristie had exceptionally perfect advice indeed.