Women, Aging and Visibility

There are so many myths and misconceptions about women aging in our Western culture. As we get older, we become invisible -- generally starting at 40, though some feel it earlier, and it continues as we age. As a result, we can feel less valued and sometimes downright disregarded. There is an entire population that feels disenfranchised. Internally, what happens is many women believe because they are invisible, their life doesn't have much meaning. This, in turn, causes women to take on the role of being invisible, and they pass this behavior on. As we age, we have so much to offer, but we believe the myth, live as if it is true, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Young women do not know what this is about. And it's my wish that they never do. Rather than warn our younger sisters, I desire to mentor and support women and talk about this, so we stop accepting it as the norm, stop believing the myths and misconceptions as "the truth" and start speaking about what is actually true. This will not only have an impact on our communities but have a global effect by starting the conversation for women all over the world.