|
You know, all of the more important national happenings. I do not find it necessary to read the magazine in any particular time sequence. In fact, if they have been hanging around for quite some time, I am obviously getting last years latest.
Once I put the magazine down, the majority of what I have read is fast forgotten. Though later when I see a headline in the new paper or hear about what celebrity did what or didn’t do, I feel a little more “with it.” However, the latest “People” magazine I came across has stayed with me. In fact, by the time I finished looking at “People’s”, “100 Most Beautiful People” article and complimentary photos, I was, and still am, quite perturbed. This was, to quote one of the oldest of oldest cliché, “The straw that broke the camel’s back.”
I am going to get personal. Within the past six months I stopped coloring, darkening my hair. Now in my seventy plus years, my hair is definitely gray if not white. It made sense to stop the every three week touch-up. Especially since my children are letting their gray hair show, I decided to come out. Not necessarily to my liking, even though I am told it is quite youthful, but acceptable and simpler to my already simpler and casual life style.
Now having gotten that off my chest, I will go back to the “straw and the camel.”
Unfortunately our national obsession with youth does not recognize the beautiful women who are beyond their fifties, let alone gray hair. One exception mentioned in the “People” article was Raquel Welsh, at sixty-something looking a great deal younger though with not a hint of gray. Often those of us over sixty years feel totally invisible. Over and over again you will see, “the 20, 30, 40, 50, look”. Then comes, “and older.” List us all or find another way to say “Beauty at any age.” In our society gray hair for women is not okay. Let’s be brave and say it is okay. Why not news anchor- women with white hair? It’s okay for the guys. Tell the ladies in the United States senate or congress, lady governors, its okay to have gray hair. How much time one will save, let alone the cost, and thus better serve your constituents…. partially kidding.
I will admit there has been a difference since Oprah turned fifty, along with the supposedly new sixty being forty, and with “Baby Boomers” now in their sixties, the stigma has been slightly lifted. But still, “People” magazine chose to recognized only one “beautiful” woman over sixty.
As I wrote in my book, “Life Begins@Sixty”, we all get older, eventually and hopefully, old. No one lives forever. Let’s take the stigma out of aging. Be proud of our years and the years of others. When I was a great deal younger, I admired many older women for their beauty; outward beauty pleasing to the eye, their inner beauty radiating from inside projected outward for all the world to enjoy.
In this season of elections, let the vote be cast for beauty at all ages.
I leave you with this poem:
“What’s On My Mind” By Joan Frentz.
"Beauty is skin deep
We are told.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
We are told this, too.
What a beautiful woman!
Isn’t she beautiful?
How do we judge beauty?
Do we, should we, why?
Look in the mirror and what do you see?
What do you want to see?
What are you looking for?
Does beauty show in the mirror?
Beauty of self, wit, intelligence, love, courage…"
***
About the author:
Joan Frentz’ life has come full circle. Diagnosed with arthritis in her neck, spine, hands and feet in her late 20s, Joan suffered years of discomfort and pain from the debilitating effects of severe bursitis in her hip joints. This did not prevent her from participating in sports activities, playing games of tennis, swimming, snow skiing, etc. with her children or even today with her grandchildren.
Now in her 70’s, Joan credits exercise for overcoming physical problems thus maintaining an energetic, active lifestyle. She says, “Exercise, exercise and exercise… slow and easy, never giving in to your discomfort, getting to know my body, becoming my own best advocate has made the difference.”
Joan, a California transplant, supposedly retired, turned her life long interest in dance and other physical activities to physical fitness training with an emphasis on the “older” women. A certified personal training instructor, Joan taught at her neighborhood fitness center, trained women in their home, and authored a general fitness column for a local weekly newspaper.
Prior to becoming involved in business as owner of three retail stores and owning and running a national catalog publishing company, Joan was involved in the dance community in her adopted hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Her involvement, along with fellow board members, eventually led to the formation of the Louisville Ballet company, and Joan personally received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts, providing funding for dance programs in the inner-city public schools.
As a women business owner was actively involved in NAWBO, The National Association of Women Business Owners, as chapter charter member, chapter president, and served on National NAWBO committees, received Kentucky Women Business Advocate of the year, an elected as a Kentucky delegate to the 1995 White House Small Business conference.
Joan’s book, "Life Begins@Sixty," published in 2005 was the culmination of her desire to encourage and support women as they age in their effort to live a strong physical and mentally active life.
“Women are writing new chapters," says Joan. "Never before have women had the possibility let alone probability, of living as long. Regardless of your age, you are a new generation of women living longer and capable of becoming and staying physically fit you entire lifetime. It is one thing to exercise, another to know why. The more important question is, 'what do I want to do?' Your answers will open various trails and roads to explore in your quest for becoming and staying physically fit. My intention is to give you ideas, possibilities, not to tell you what to do. I want you to look inside, determine what suits your life, your lifestyle, and meets your particular needs.”
Joan is available as a motivational, keynoter speaker. She has appeared on various television and radio shows, served as guest lecturer on the Crystal Cruise Line, and Greenhouse Spa in Dallas, Texas. Her interpersonal style offers voluntary audience participation. Joan’s primary goal is for her audience to have fun…..and enjoy!
Life Begins@Sixty can be ordered on line at www.summerlandpublishing.com and at your favorite bookstore.
Contact Joan via email: j.frentz@cox.net, website: www.joanfrentz.com.
|
 |
|
