As I
approach my 60th birthday, I have had more than a few friends ask
whether I will celebrate another “Year of Judy” as I did when I turned 50. In
case you missed that marvelous (at least to me!) 12-month celebration, my 50th
year started off with the creation of business cards announcing that I was
“Celebrating the Year of Judy”—I didn’t leave any doubt that 2014 was all about
moi.
Business
cards were only the beginning. I took a plastic 50th Birthday tiara
with me everywhere—no exaggeration—and would pop that plastic monument to my
age on my head and snap selfies with all who would tolerate my drama. I did not
do this for one day. I did this ALL YEAR. I dubbed those who allowed me to take
a selfie with them “Tiara Victims.”
Most people
humored me. If I am honest with myself, I was often met with good-natured (I
hope!) eye rolling. My husband tried to shame me for accepting free movies,
meals, and desserts in honor of my birthday long after my birth date passed. I
just shrugged it off and reminded him that “I am 50 all year!”
I was
honored to be celebrated by a fabulous group of girlfriends who arranged a
weekend at the The Omni Homestead Resort in Hot Springs, VA. What fun! We all
wore plastic tiaras and feather boas which molted all over the historic hotel.
We danced and got spa treatments and just enjoyed each other’s company.
Women know
how to celebrate other women. We sometimes get a bad rap for allegedly being
bitchy and competitive—and that does happen—but most of the women I know are
lovely and supportive.
I turned 40
while living at Fort Campbell, KY (Tony was deployed to Iraq) and another group
of terrific women (there was some overlap in these two groups!) “kidnapped” me
for a weekend of fun in Nashville. There was a boa and tiara involved for that
celebration too.
So, now that
60 is mere weeks away, I want to celebrate (God willing) my sixth decade by
honoring the women who have lifted, inspired, and mentored me on my life’s
journey. I choose to celebrate my 60th birthday by honoring the
women who loved and cheered me into the person I am now—the 60 great women who
helped me to 60!
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| Me & my guy 10 years ago. |
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| Me & my dad, who knew how to celebrate birthdays! |
This in no way should detract from the wonderful men in my life, starting with my guy of nearly 40 years, who always has my back (although he prefers my front 😉). I won the lottery when I married Tony at just 20 years old (he was 22, although he often fibs that he is younger). Then there is our son, four grandsons, my brother, father, and other fabulous men who have made an impact on my life, but this is about the ladies.
I thank each of these strong, wonderful women. I plan to blog about some of their stories throughout my 60th year. It was important for me to declare and celebrate the Year of Judy when I turned 50. I was a recent empty nester just finding my footing when our children no longer required my complete focus—our adult children might argue that they still have too much of my “momming” attention!
I have
turned another of life’s corners in the last decade. I am a retired woman of
leisure living life on the road with my guy. Each day is all about Judy! Now,
it feels like the right time to celebrate others…so…this year is the “Year of
the Chicas!”
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| Some of the Chicas who helped me celebrate 50. |
Those who
know me can probably guess that I have already ordered a plastic 60th
Birthday tiara. I do love taking selfies with Tiara Victims. Why plastic? —you might
wonder. A fancier tiara might imply that I take the whole crown thing
seriously. I love to laugh at myself and wearing a plastic tiara (frankly wearing
almost any headwear) cracks me up.😉 I hope to laugh my way through my sixties or as long as I am blessed to
grace the planet.
Just a few of my Tiara Victims...
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