You know how throughout a week, things can be said, seen, heard, or happen, and then culminate into a brilliant thought at the end of the week?  Yeah, me neither.  But I’ll give you what I got!

Alpha Hubby was bopping through channels the other night and stopped on a wrestling show.  Four guys and a girl in the ring, three on one side and two facing them, having words.  They’re trying to out-insult one another and one questions the other’s masculinity.

The insult-ee immediately says, “Oh, but I have a girlfriend and here she is” and puts his arm around the girl (who, if I can say, looked a little cougar-ish for him, but she was attractive as those girls in the ring usually are).  The other man says, “HA! Looks like you have a butter face.”

The insult-ees were confused but some guys in the audience started hollering “Butter face, butter face, butter face” and Alpha Hubby said, “Wonder what that means.”

Butter face in a homonym that sounds like “but her face.”  To call a woman a butter face is to say her body is very sexy but her face is ugly or old – everything is sexy “butter” (but her) face.

I know.  It is disgusting.  It is a testament to what our society is beginning to say is perfection (Hello?? Photoshop anyone?).  It was awful in one sense because unless those insults were pre-planned, they just really hurt that woman’s feelings.  And sexy comes in all sorts of styles, ages, and people as evidenced by our lady in red above.

And I got to thinking about how exercise, eating right and the many scientific discoveries about fountain-of-youth chemical concoctions can keep women’s skin younger looking than in the past.  And it is true that if you pay attention to the real stuff and not the hype, you can keep your skin healthy and ageless (www.cosmeticscop.com is a woman who cuts through the hype so you don’t waste money).

Not too long ago, 50 and 60 was considered ancient.   Heck even 40.  I remember a John Wayne movie where they were celebrating the matriarch’s birthday “Granny’s turning 60 today, wow she’s old” – and granny was decrepit looking and barely getting around.  Shoot, my own mother was youthful, spry and active into her mid-80’s and had a better figure than I have.

So anyway I’m driving down the road yesterday in my cool car with the radio blasting oldies and singing along, having fun, and I had the thought that if people passing by looked, at first they’d think, “Cool car, neat chick… uh oh, butter face!”  You know, ‘cause I’m not in my 20’s.

Then I started thinking how so many people scorn any age older than the one they are.  Or they think someone older is inept or incapable, as if a number means you suddenly lost your ability to think, act, work, function or have FUN.

So many times you see an older couple walking down the street holding hands – maybe in their 80’s – and think, “Awww, how sweet” in a semi-condescending tone of voice.  Yet the couple on the right, no one thinks anything except “Oh young love!”  It’s like the thought is that those with more numbers have lost the spark and lust for life and one another.

The opposite is actually true!  The more numbers you are can mean the better able to handle life, enjoy it more because you know what’s important, understand what real passion in the bedroom is all about, and more willing to experiment with one another because the unbelievable trust level that has developed.

I think sometimes that the disregard people have for those with more numbers is because there are people who have given up and aged, usually beyond their real years.  It seems some time after the age of 30 people begin to think “I’m going downhill now.”  They begin to confess they’re getting older – OH MY GOSH ARE YOU KIDDING ME??  Thirty?  Yet it is true and I hear it all the time.

I also think those who begin confessing they are getting older and are unable to get around as much as they used to and have more aches and pains than they used to, or any other number of supposed age-related symptoms, telling “I’m so old” jokes (you know, “Oh I’m having a senior moment, haw haw”), begin talking themselves into being older.  I’ve actually seen that happen. I believe your body begins to live up to the words of your mouth.

How are you supposed to know what your particular age acts like?  You’ve never been there before.  Or does that mean when you reach a magic age number you are going to suddenly stop functioning and just exist until you die?  What does acting your age mean?  I’m glad you asked.  This is one way it looks:

Acting your age means enjoying your life to the fullest, with all your heart!  It means acting exactly like you want to.  Who cares what society says a certain age is supposed to look and act like?  Who are they anyway??  Be who you are and do not be afraid what others think!  Do what you want to do, no matter what that number is.

So what if people around you sneer when you run and jump in water puddles?  So what if they roll their eyes when you chase each other around the house or horseplay in the swimming pool?  So what if you boogie in the kitchen to some cool oldie on the satellite radio?  SO WHAT if you drive down the street with your top down, blasting oldies and singing at the top of your lungs?  JUST HAVE FUN ’cause life is TOO short.

You know what?  I call THAT acting your age.  I say Joy On, Baby!!  I say do whatever feels good to you (*ahem* within the law ya’all – no mooning in traffic).  Acting your age is being who you are, doing what you want, boldly, confidently, and with a smile on your face.  Know why?  You earned it.

Act your age – joyfully!

Here are just a few people who aren’t in their 20’s… or 30’s… acting their age.

 

And my all time favorite – which means NONE OF US HAVE AN EXCUSE:  Marjorie Newlin 

When Morjorie Newlin was 72, her neighborhood supermarket had 50-pound bags of kitty litter on sale. With no one there to help her, she struggled with lifting the load.  Though osteoporosis was also on her mind, the septuagenarian began lifting weights – for her cat.  “I wanted to be as independent as long as I can be, for as long as I can.”

Miss Newlin’s mission was simple. All she wanted to do was to be able to get litter for her cat!  She went to a gym to do weight training to get stronger, her trainer put her in a competition, and in her body building career she won over 40 awards and trophies, some over women far younger than her age.  She was on television programs, radio shows, and print interviews.

In the end, she was a remarkable woman.  Here she is at 85 a year before she passed away.

So are you acting your age or some acting some role that society has placed on you due to a number??

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(Most of the last pictures are from Google Images)