On getting older

I was thinking the other week how I would write a great blog post about getting older and wiser. I’d noticed a shift within me lately, of being able to let go of some things that would have previously bothered me and somehow now I have been able to just shrug it off. People’s thoughts on me, that I might have obsessed over I no longer even thought about. It’s none of my business what people think of me! I could move on. It’s been REALLY liberating for me and I put it down to getting older. More wiser. Or SOMETHING. Definitely something.
And then on Saturday night I got a bit drunk. I was nervous and anxious about an awkward social encounter and because I knew I was nervous and anxious I decided to have a few extra wines. To help right? And you know what? It didn’t! It just made me nervous, anxious DRUNK and angry. SO pretty! 
And then yesterday I was hung like a dog (3 hours sleep will do that to a gal) and I ate badly. I drank real, dirty, full strength coke. I sat on my arse the entire day and shame spiralled waiting for the day just to end and be done so that I could move on.
And I came to a few conclusions: That I am indeed not wiser and older after all and that hangovers are MUCH worse the older you get.
How I do know that I am getting older is that my passion for the rose is reaching fever pitch. My Mother is a huge rose fan, and with each month and year that passes, I find myself deeper in love with their blooms and more and more like my Mother. I’m into my second flowering out in the garden and I have cuttings EVERYWHERE in the house. LOOK AT THEM.

I picked these up from the fruit shop this morning for just 4 dollars. FOUR! They are huge! And beautiful. And even if they last just till the end of the week that’s alright by me.

These are my words for the week that I pulled out of my Destiny cards bowl this morning. Not sure where adventure will come into it? Who knows? 

That’s the best bit about life don’t you think? The not knowing. And the making the same mistakes over and over again. Oh, and the learning. 

Comments

  1. ah but you ARE wiser Beth.
    you really really are.
    lots of love darlin’ friend.
    xxxx

  2. I hate those awkward social encounters. LOATHE! And as much as I try to not let other people’s stupid opinions get to me – I do. I wish I was different.

    Anyway, I’d say you’re much wiser. And as for the wagon fall? Everyone has them (especially on a hangover) plus you’re allowed to indulge occasionally – it’s what you do after it that counts.
    You’re just as fabulous as your roses my dear. xxx

  3. You are so wise my friend. So wise.

  4. Argh! I so know what you mean!

    I know the anal retentive tiding got to you years ago but it’s starting to hit me big time. I can’t do anything unless I make my bed and having an untidy kitchen makes me cray cray.

    I’m yet to fall in love with roses though… although I grew up in a house that was surrounded by my mothers favourite blood red rose bushes so it’s only a matter of time really.

  5. As I age I’m definitely getting older & wider….as long as my kids think I know stuff that’s all I care about.

  6. Oh Beth!
    I know exactly what you mean.
    I don’t worry so much about what people think…I mean I do but that isn’t my real vice.
    My real vice is that the life that I lead in my head is completely different from the life I live in real life…and this most often manifests itself when I am shopping. I see something and I think that will be so perfect for going out to lunch. News flash! You don’t go out to lunch! And if you do, it is some kid friendly cafe and you don’t get to sit down because you are toddler wrangling!
    But of course by the time I have that realisation it is too late and the pretty little dress is at home in my closet next to all the other pretty little dresses that I never wear in real life…but that I imagine wearing all the time.
    When will I learn?

  7. You are a gem young BabyMac.

  8. “The getting of wisdom as you stop and smell the roses”….music to this mamma’s ears!!
    I hope you don’t mind taking on certain facets of your mother, I guess inheriting her love of the rose is a good place to start. X ( Mum)

  9. Everyone is entitled to a day on the couch drinking full strength coke every now and again.

  10. Oh Beth, I so know this. I’m terrible at social situations. My biggest struggle is being in a room full of strangers, I’m awful at it. My way of dealing with was to drink too much. The last time I did it was at the top 50 blogger event, poured a 100 champagnes down my gullet to drown out my feelings of inadequacy. Which of course made it 100 times worse as I was a drunken fool, as I’m sure you remember, and ended up feeling so much more embarrassed. The time before was with some work colleagues of Skip’s…. Classy.
    I haven’t done it since and hopefully not again, but who knows, right?! I now tell myself if I’m feeling awkward to stop at two drinks and so far so good. I’m actually listening!

    Anyway, we’ve all been there. Growing up and getting older seems to be two steps forward, one step back. At least for me anyway. Xx

  11. And roses? Pure heaven x

  12. I love that you got dirty, angry, drunk and then, hungover!

    Why should the hangovers be for the young and not so wise only?

    Yes, beautiful Beth, you most certainly are wiser. And stronger. And calmer. And centred. As you get older, you do care less about what others think. Why waste your time on that when, as I’ve discovered, we are so harsh on ourselves first.

    So give yourself a break. Enjoy your coca cola. Revel in the fizz. Burp out loud. And tomorrow is another day. For learning.

    Love yer guts lady.

    Gabs x

  13. That’s the adventure, the not knowing! xx

  14. Well I think you are sounding pretty wise to me. Part of being wise isn’t making the same mistakes over, but learning something new from them each time.

  15. So you made a mistake and got drunk and paid for it the next day. You found it really didn’t help the situation. It’s making mistakes and learning from them that makes you wiser as you grow older. You don’t worry nearly as much about what people think of you but you still try to be thoughtful about others. I try and live by the philosophy of treating others as I like to be treated and that I think I have learned through the years is very important.
    As for the the roses….they are so beautiful. Cut roses wouldn’t last long here this week with the heatwave we are having. Just enjoyed peeking at yours though so thanks for sharing. xx

  16. I think you are incredibly wise Beth. Had to laugh at the next day recovery. In our 20s we used to be tennis balls – now we are raquet balls – we don’t have as much bounce!!

  17. Oh thank goodness for getting older, I say… am definitely wiser, and much more self-contained. Love that you love your roses, and how you draw our eye to the pretty things in life… to stop and savour for a mo.

    Here’s to more wisdom, and more wrinkles, god knows they are well earned.

  18. You know lady, some things I just never seem to learn, I think that’s pretty normal though. Generally those ones that really hit you in the pit of the stomach, they’re the kind that it’s hard to be mature/rational/pragmatic about. I don’t think that is wrong either though, because quite often it just proves that you have a helluva lot of heart.
    And you’re Facebook status gave me a real good chuckle yesterday morning. Hangovers ARE the worst though, but those roses are delightful xo

  19. someone said the exact same thing to me on the weekend about what others think of me isn’t my business.

    I must admit, apart from my collapsing face I love being 40 100 times more than 20 or 30.

    Hope you plant some rose bushes.

  20. The good thing about being older and wiser is we remeber how much we hate hangovers so it’s always a long time between sessions like that. In our younger days, if it wasn’t the next day, it was probably the next weekend the cycle would have started again. Thank god for our wisdom now!

  21. Adventure – definitely in the bedroom – DER xx

  22. Of course! How many times WILL I get up to small children! Always an adventure! Oh, hang on…

  23. It’s imperative for you to know at this juncture how much I adore you, your shame-spiralling on the couch, your old-timey penchant for roses. You’re a star.

    XXXXX

  24. I DREAM about full strength coke!! I gave it up when I fell pregnant & have told my husband he better have a icy cold can, not a bottle, ready for me when that baby is out.

    I think you are wiser than you know. The fact that you sat on the lounge all hung over & indulged in crap food & nothingness shows you were smart enough to not try & pretend you weren’t hungover & had to get up & do stuff. That’s wise if you ask me 😉

  25. I dream about full strength coke! I gave it up when I fell pregnant & have told my husband he better have an icy cold can- not a bottle- waiting once that baby is out!Does that make me weird?

Leave a Reply to BabyMac Cancel reply

*