Last Updated on March 20, 2018
In late August I’ll turn 60 which I know isn’t so terribly bad, but it does sound a lot older than 59. My daughter was quite shocked to realize that her mother was older than she thought. Bless her, but she thought I was still in my early 50s.
Even though it doesn’t really have much to do with my age, I am in a period of adjusting to who I am again. I have two big dilemmas in my life right now: my eyes and my hair. I had a detached retina in October which required immediate surgery and then some time to recover. I heard the doctor say my eyes would be back to normal in three months, but I’ve since learned that it’s not the old normal but a new normal that I still haven’t adjusted to. My latest attempt to see clearly is to try bifocals. I’m not pleased. I hear it takes getting used to, but I’m not sure I will make the turn. My vision was a lot better than I realized, and now that it is not so great I appreciate what I had so much more. Most of us could say that about a lot of things in our lives.
And then there is my hair. When I turned 40 I remember asking the girl who cut it for years if I had to start wearing it short now that I was middle-aged. She assured me I did not have to cut it, and so I kept it shoulder length until I turned 50. It’s been in various stages of short ever since. But here I am approaching 60 and I’m thinking about wearing my hair longer again. It’s gotten long enough that I can pull it back into a short ponytail, my favorite “do” for so many years. Easy, out of my face and a quick fix. So I’m analyzing again as I did before I turned 40 what to do that is age appropriate with my hair!
One of my favorite women, who I’m honored to share my birthday with, is a widow in our church. She just turned 90 last summer, and even though she has slowed down in many ways, she has always been a role model to me and hundreds of others. Miz Kitty has always been an elegant woman and she’s worn her hair long and piled on her head loosely, casually, and as is her style, elegantly. She’s just plain cute. Maybe I could be like her? She would be so worthy of emulating in so many ways beyond her hairstyle. She’d probably laugh if she knew what I was writing. Miz Kitty has been a prayer warrior as long as I’ve known her, and that example would be a better focus of my thinking than how I should wear my hair as I turn 60.
But, in my humanity, it’s one of those things I care about. There is no Bible verse for this except to know that my Father in heaven knows me and loves me anyway. I have no idea what I’ll do. So, today I’m sporting a two-inch ponytail and typing this with bifocals that blur! What an odd image!
Barbara Rainey is the Co-Founder of FamilyLife, the mother of six and a grandmother to 18 – she is also a mentor and friend to countless women in the United States online loans and abroad. She is a gifted communicator – and artist – who has created, and continues to create, resources that help parents and children connect and impress on their hearts the truth of God’s word. Barbara is the Titus 2 woman we all long to spend time learning from and will embolden you to spend time in the word and be a world changer, while prioritizing family – she will inspire and empower!
SO funny. What is age-appropriate, anyway? Maybe it's just trying not to look like you're trying to look 10 years younger than you actually are.
As for ponytails, I believe they are incredibly practical and lately, fashionable. Shows more of your smiling joy to our Creator and to others.
Deteriorating eyesight must be God's way of making us look even better to our sweethearts as we age.
Nothing is more youthful looking than a lady over 60 with sexy long hair. It’s not for everyone, but for the great majority, the potential is there.