I attended my high school reunion the other night with over sixty other women who attended an all-girl parochial school in the 70’s.
I walked into the room greeted by the most beautiful, vibrant, animated, happy women I could imagine! These 50-somethings were no less than amazing!
Warm greetings.
Welcoming smiles.
Tight hugs.
Genuine “happy to see you” moments.
Delighted interest in each others’ lives.
Stories of hardship and survival.
Remembrances of those who have passed.
I was experiencing moments of real community – a quilt sewn together with memories of who we were and who we have become – strong bonds that cannot be broken.
As I began to think about those years, I realized we didn’t have the distraction of boys in high school – at least not in class or on the grounds. We could be who we were as young women, free to express ourselves without the burden of having to prove things to anyone but ourselves.
We could be smart and outspoken, leaders in our own right – not afraid to stand for something that compelled us to speak out. We had the time to see not only the outer beauty of the other young women around us, but really get to know their inner beauty.
We were aligned in our struggles as young women. We were working together to figure out how to thrive in a world that was vastly different from what our parents had experienced. We didn’t want their stories of female stereotypes and suppression of their heart’s desires to be our own.
We became scientists, nurses, doctors, lawyers, accountants, writers….
We were able to explore everything.
We had rules, lots of them! But they were often broken, or at least circumvented.
At the reunion, we had a room full of women whose stories were rich, unique and some filled with pain…….
Loss of a spouse.
Loss of a parent, sibling or other family member.
Surviving cancer.
Experiencing divorce.
Surviving career challenges and job loss.
And then there were the stories of pure joy……
Successful marriages.
Delightful single lives.
Joyful families.
Thriving children.
Amazing careers.
Healthy and lovely grandchildren.
Talking to each person was like having an artist with a blank canvas in the room.
Each story inspired the artist to put another color of paint on the canvas – each detail providing inspiration for the shape and texture of the brush stroke.
At the end of the night, each of us had our own canvas complete with a compilation of lovely images of those with whom we had spent at least four years of our lives.
These lovely images were not a surprise for me. With each interaction, I saw what I remembered most about the young woman I knew then.
The twinkle in her eye.
The beautiful smile.
The mischief.
The creativity.
The compassion.
The integrity.
The empathy.
The intelligence.
I saw it because it was still there. I saw the unfiltered natural gifts of that young woman I knew. The natural gifts we possess as children and young adults are still within us.
[Tweet “It’s up to us to keep showing up and allowing others to experience our gifts.”]
We thrive when we use those things that feel the most natural to us – not when we deny them.
So, the next time you see a woman and try to judge her based on her age, think again.
Each one of us possesses our own Personal Brilliance – those natural gifts that were present when we entered this world. We have our own stories – our personal canvas painting – one filled with expression from our life experiences.
50 might be the new 30 based on appearance, style, fitness, energy level, or any number of other factors, but don’t think for one second that being 50-something can be compared to any other younger decade.
The wisdom of the 50-something woman is indeed powerful. That’s why we can’t be underestimated. We are a force in our own right.
If you’re a 50-something woman, bask in the glow of this wisdom and share it freely with others. Mentor women who are younger than you. Make this world a better, more tolerant place.
If you’re a younger woman, seek out a 50-something mentor. It will be such a rewarding experience. It will deepen your appreciation for the women who blazed the trail before.
If you are married to or in a relationship with a 50-something woman, allow her to soar. Appreciate her wisdom, beauty, and ability to handle life’s challenges and come out on top.
And to all my 50-somethings from our reunion – I love and appreciate each of you and am so happy to have shared some of the precious years of my life with you.
Very well said and written with compassion. Would love to see you again. Lunch soon?
Hi Roi-Lynne, Thanks so much for taking the time to read and comment. I am so proud of all of us. I see your posts on Facebook and you haven’t lost the fun! I think we have all come a long way but haven’t lost who we are and we certainly carried the values and principles forward from our upbringing and our wonderful education. I would LOVE to have lunch and will send you an email so we can pull that together. Much love, Tina
Thank you for those beautiful words and for reminding us who we are! And that every little line or gray hair makes us who we were meant to be. We sound so beautiful I almost wish you had identified us. But then, we know…..
Love you, Tina!
Oh dear Meaux! It was so great talking to you that night. I hope you will call me so we can catch up and do some fun work! Yes, everything we are today takes us that much closer to our potential. We sound beautiful because we are! You are welcome to share and you can definitely share your details – we should all be proud of how we have taken our natural essence and improved on it over the years. And oh, there’s that “we look pretty great” element as well! Love you, Maureen!
Tina thank you for reflecting with heartfelt words those emotions and thoughts that few of us could express but experienced. God bless your new career change and all your hopes and dreams.XO
Kathy Johnston
Hi Kathy, Thanks so much for your kind words. This summary of our reunion was truly reflective of what I felt that night and what I am sure others were feeling as well. It was so great to see you and we are all so amazing and unique in our experiences and our personalities and gifts. I am really enjoying this new career – it has been a true calling. Take care and keep in touch……XOXO Much love, Tina
How awesome! Sorry missed our reunion…but God had other plans. Hope to meet up for our Christmas gathering. I am part of a Christian peer ministry as I lost Nick 7 years ago. Paying forward. Beginning Experience. This group has truly changed my life and outlook on life.
Hi Karen, thanks for taking the time to read and comment! I am so sorry about your loss. It sounds like you were in the absolute right place at the time of the reunion. So sorry I missed you. Continue to heal and pay it forward – that is a truly beautiful thing to do. Keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. Love, Tina
Hi Karen~ I looked for you at the reunion. Sorry you could not make it, and very sorry to hear about your loss. B.E. is a wonderful group~ my mom was very active in it for a number of years. We lost her 3 years ago, but we were thrilled to see many of her B.E. friends & team members at her memorial service.
On another note, we were hoping to have a get together at some point for the 1st graduating class of OLDP. If we work that out, maybe you can make it. Hugs~ Diane
Tina…
OMGosh…your thoughts on the reunion were beautiful. I could not have said it any better. I really enjoyed seeing everyone after 40 years. I would love to keep in touch more and Jean Cunningham G. is going to see that I do. Everyone looked terrific, just the way I remembered them. Thank you so much!
Hi Ann,
It was so great to see you as well. I’m happy that my message captured what I am sure many of us were feeling! I think it definitely spurred me to want to keep in touch more and I’m going to plan to do just that! Everyone looked fantastic. It’s so hard to believe it has been 40 years…..Feel free to reach out and I will do the same.
Much love,
Tina
Tina,
What a wonderful night. Your recap was so eloquent. You made me feel like I was back in Highschool. I would love to catch up with coffee or lunch.
Hi Colleen,
It was so great to see you…..I felt like I was back there as well. What a great night! I’d love to catch up with you and will reach out via e-mail to see if we can get something set up. Big Hugs and much love, Tina
Tina, thanks so much for sharing your thoughts here.
It was great to see your wonderful smile at the reunion. I wish we’d had time to really talk, as I’d love to hear more about your new venture. It’s a something I have a special interest in.
I enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with so many old friends & classmates and I was so thrilled with how happy, healthy & wonderful everyone looked. We are blessed to be part of such an awesome group of women!
Hi Diane,
I’m so glad you enjoyed my message. It was very heartfelt and I was just compelled to write about that night. I agree we are very blessed to be part of such an awesome group of women! Our high school experience really shaped us as young women and I was proud to be in this class. I’d love to discuss my new venture – it has been amazing for me. I’ll reach out so we create the opportunity to catch up!
Much love,
Tina
You nailed it Tina! For some reason this reunion was for me the most meaningful: both grounding and exhilarating, and you captured it all so beautifully! Hope to see you and others at Roxy’s Christmas party.
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Hi Michele,
So sorry I missed this comment and didn’t make Roxy’s Christmas Party! I so enjoyed seeing you and so proud of you and your career since those long lost days of high school. I found the reunion to be the same – grounding and exhilarating – a celebration of where we started as women and how far we have all come. I’d love to do lunch some time and catch up! Take care and best wishes for a great year ahead!
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