Monday, January 17, 2011

On aging


I recently celebrated a birthday.  In the days leading up to it I'd been thinking about aging.  I may have caught myself staring into the mirror and seeing if I had more wrinkles.  Or gray hairs.  But if I was it was a fleeting activity because getting older has only been good to me.

I've grown in ways that only years have allowed.  As a teenager and twenty something I focused so much energy on my perceived flaws.  Seems I was always comparing myself, my image, to someone or something else.  Trying to be perfect and never realizing I already was.

Age has changed me and not by any conscious effort on my part.  The calendar pages flipping year after year have allowed me to appreciate these legs, arms and torso.  They have carried me and my babies well.  And if I do have a moment of insecurity, it is just that . . . a moment.  And that moment passes as quickly as it came. 

My daughters performed this self-choreographed salsa number for me on my birthday.  Such beautiful, beautiful girls dancing and laughing.  Working together.  Carefree.  Their arms and legs working exquisitely.  Effortlessly.  Deftly.

I work at instilling my girls with confidence.  With self esteem.  Self worth.  Self appreciation.  And I absolutely hope that they don't waste years of their lives agonizing, comparing and fretting they way that I did.  I hope that they know . . . genuinely know . . . that they are unequaled.  That they are perfectly perfect.  Exactly the way that they are.



-dana

20 comments:

Loafer Mountain Primitives said...

What beautiful girls!
and so very lucky to have a wonderful mother like you!
Happy Birthday Dana!
Tisha

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

That video is just fabulous Dana! You should be SO proud!

Luv 2 Kreate said...

How beautiful!

Sara said...

How cute of those two to do that for you---love it!!!!

Unknown said...

Every word, every smile, every dance move was simply beautiful... and perfect. You are all very lucky. Happy Birthday!

Kari V. said...

I have tears in my eyes right now. This post is so moving and your girls are just amazing. You have made me think about how I'm trying to raise my daughter that way too. The last thing she (or any woman) needs is to judge or second guess herself as she's growing into her own. Thanks!

Emily Cole said...

This is so awesome. Sweet! Sisters! Happy Birthday again!

Amy said...

Vibrant, lovely, deliciously vivacious girls!

Corinnea said...

Always. Forever. Amen.

Audrie said...

Love this post :)

Shannon said...

Well said!! The video is cute. You know our girls will always wonder about themselves just like we did. But as mom's we can give them just a lttle better foundation then we had. Maybe in a million years human kind will understsnd then worth! Happy late birthday!

ksrunt said...

Happy belated birthday. From the limited view I have of your family, I think you are doing a wonderful job.

tara said...

Happy belated birthday.

Elissa said...

happy belated friend! those gals are lucky duck dogs to have you and your self assured self as their mama. and you are darn lucky to have them too. i love a good self-choreographed dance any day of the week, if i do say. i used to "clog" for my next door neighbor's 90+ father in their PAVED driveway (big deal in the sticks, right?). i find this hysterical to tell YOU, as i knew NOTHING about clogging, but felt very self-assured clomping around in my half-size-too small-regular-ol'-hand-me-down clogs for this poor old man who probably thought i was a trip and a half.

i have no real complaints about getting older either (especially since i was mistaken for a 27 YO last week!! booyah! even if it was by someone old enough to be my mother) and only wonder why i can't stop getting zits along with the wrinkles and gray hairs! ;-)

Kim said...

Oh it is so true ...its what we all want for our girls.
It is so fun to watch yours grow up.
their sweet pigtails and big smiles......what more can you ask for your birthday..two girls who know they are loved.

Happy sewing

Trudi said...

Positively Perfect!

eva said...

now that's MY kind of birthday present!!!

perfect!! indeed!!

xo
eva

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

A beautiful post and fun video. Wonder how my mom would like a salsa dance choreographed by her twenty-something daughters this weekend on her birthday? Guessing she'd still be thrilled.

Happy Birthday to you.

momawake said...

I appreciate your comments on aging. I can relate to the teens and twenty-something period of life. At some point I've realized, that while I'm certainly not perfect, there are things that just don't matter anymore. Now I'm rather awkwardly trying to escort my 15 yo dd through these years.

Happy belated birthday!

mean sarah jean said...

such cute girls. i hope you had a wonderful birthday. (and how could you not, after that adorable dance)