The Bell Curve of Life
I really liked this poignant essay on midlife by Judith Warner (author of Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety), which was recently published in the New York Times. Here’s one line to whet your appetite:
This is the cruelty of middle age, I find: just when things have gotten good — really, really, consistently good — I have become aware that they will end.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
When does the “— really, really, consistently good —” part happen? I’m actually looking forward to the end because I’m sick of the struggle.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I really don’t understand these whiney women (like Ms. Warner appears to be) who don’t understand that the specter of death is always there, whether one is a child or in middle age or at the century mark. The cruelty is not of middle age, it is that life can end at any time. I can’t believe she didn’t realize that until she was in her 40’s.
Thinking you are invincible is a childish, teenage view of life. She might find her life more rewarding if she lived each day as if it were her last and spent less time worrying about growing old.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:49 am
I tend to agree with Catch Her.
I am reminded of a cartoon I saw not long ago:
Two couples are sitting with cocktails, and someone comments, “We thought we were in a bad patch, then we realized that this is our life.”
I know I am now *past* midlife, but that’s okay. It has to be okay, doesn’t it?
We can either dwell on it, or make the best of it.
October 21st, 2009 at 3:50 pm
I found the article to be humorous as well as truthful, as I believe it was intended to be. The positive comments were wonderful also as women reminisced a bit.
Those with crabby thoughts need to lighten up a bit.