When I was a kid I remember that my parents had a book of famous American artists. I was looking through this book when I saw a couple of paintings which caught my eye. My favorite one was called “Halloween”.
I loved this and really all the paintings from the famous american artist dubbed “Grandma Moses”. She was a popular icon in the 50’s, this particular painting was done when she was 95 years of age. This is what the talented artist looked like.
This idea of a grandma fit in perfectly with what I thought a grandma should look like. Truth be told I thought that she pretty much looked like my grandmother. At around 10 years old my idea of what a grandma should be was changed forever by Aunt Bee. Yes, that famous Aunt Bee from the Andy Griffith show. She had just the right amount of caring when Opie was sad, disappointment when Opie made a “bad choice”, and even a little edge, but not too mean, when Opie did something “really bad”. (You know, like going fishing instead of doing his chores.)
In real life Aunt Bee was 58 years old when she got the part. So now, as a grown up, my idea of what a grandma is has changed again. I am not a grandma yet, but it could happen any time. I am older than 58 now, so what does a boomer grandma look like?
An article I read stated that boomers will be spending billions to counter the effects of aging. There is hormone replacement for women and men. Cosmetic surgery has increased 77% over the last decade. Botox has become an everyday procedure and the number of products with anti aging properties has grown exponentially.
Now, I am not saying that I do not fall prey to the promise of turning back the clock. I have my share of the latest and the greatest anti aging creams or potions. Hormones are still a staple of my quest for a migraine free, hot flash free life. However, here’s hoping that I can keep it all in perspective as the myth of aging gracefully clashes with the reality of simply growing old.
SENILE DENIAL 