By Marcia Barhydt

We Magazine for Women is for women of all ages, of course. When I look through this terrific digital magazine, I see articles by a vastly diverse group of women, diverse in topic, diverse in style, diverse in age.

I hope to take my place as part of your monthly reading in the role of, um, older woman. I’m 66 years old now and I’ve been writing for 2 years for women over 50. Even though I see lots of articles here for younger women, trust me, you will be over 50 one day yourself! And so if I can give you a preview of what your life may be like, then I’m filling a dream of mine.
I have such good news for you – being a woman over 50, ok, over 60, is amazing! It’s absolutely the best stage of my life ever! Who knew? When I was in my 30s and 40s, I didn’t have any concept of the reward that lay ahead for me. And it is such a reward.

I seem to have a lot of wisdom now. Maybe not the wisdom of Maya Angelou, but I know a lot more than I used to know, or thought I knew. And I’m thinking that if I share some of my thoughts with you, then you’ll start to have a much different opinion about aging; you’ll start, I hope, to age with grace.

I have this theory that Mother Nature gives us a trade off. She takes away some, ok, many, of the physical attributes we have when we’re younger, like our perky bodies and our lineless faces and gives us wisdom and clarity and confident comfort now that we’re older, when we age with grace.
And you know what? It’s a great trade-off; it’s the trade-off of a lifetime for a new life.

For example: I know now that for every action there is indeed a reaction. I know now that we all do what’s right for us at the time we’re doing it. I know that everyone in my life who has touched me has left something with me as I have left my mark on her or him. I know that all lives have cycles within them and that each cycle will pass when the time is right. I know that there are life-changing moments behind me and ahead of me too.

I’m still learning though and I believe that all of us over 50 are becoming acutely aware of how much we can learn. I believe I’m only now just beginning to tap into the vast potential that I have as a woman over 50.

I know that our greatest hope for tomorrow is our daughters and our granddaughters.  And I know our greatest resource to guide them is us – women over 50, women who will one day be over 50, women aging with grace.

About the Author: At 64, Marcia Barhydt started writing for women over 50. She is a monthly contributor to Timeless Woman, Kalon Women, Boomers Forever and Maturity Matters. Marcia’s new book, Celebrate Age! is her thoughts, rants, raves and wisdoms learned after 50. Visit www.willowtree.ca