I am getting older. My hair is getting grayer, I find myself yawning earlier in the evening and those injuries and illnesses are taking longer to get over than they used to.  I often ask my husband do a pair of jeans make my dimensions look more like an hourglass and less like a 747. I also find myself looking at former classmates’ facebook profiles and wondering when all of us started getting married and having children. When exactly did that former goth-chick in college get a minivan and twins?

     Today’s culture looks at aging as a curse. Not only has looking older become taboo, but feeling older is also a big no-no. In a superficial world women of all ages are told by botox treatments and deep-conditioners that it’s not too late! We can still be younger/skinnier/toner/leaner all the while feeding into the idea that if we do all these things we will not only cheat time, but get back that carefree feeling that came with youth.

     While most of us wouldn’t trade our experiences, memories and current family for anything, we do miss that boundless energy, ease of laughter and child-like curiosity that we had when we were younger. Just because we are older, doesn’t mean we have to stop learning and growing as a person. Having responsibilities and commitments doesn’t mean we can’t have fun anymore, just like being married and having kids doesn’t mean we have to lose our entire identity. We still have fun; it’s just different kinds of fun. We upgrade to a more rewarding purpose.

     Homemakers, like wine, only get better with age. As we get older we fine-tune our recipes, child-rearing skills and organizational ideas. We learn more about how to run our homes, and ideally our personality and talents are on everything we make and do for our families.

     As the years progress we become more than “just a housewife”: we become an artisan of the home, and a herald for our family. It takes commitment, skill and courage to stay together through good times and bad, especially these days in a society where we are taught that it is easier to run away than stay and keep working on a goal.

     I look at my husband and as much as I loved him when we first met, I love him even more now after 3 years of shared experiences, divided chores and several bouts of the stomach flu. I am proud of myself as well, as I have gotten older I have learned even more about those things we first learned in kindergarten: sharing, honesty and that very important Golden Rule. We age for a reason, it would be a shame to throw away all of those memories and lessons for a false second youth.

     Rather than moan to our younger sisters and daughters about the pains of getting older (and scaring them to death) why not instead celebrate all of the milestones we have achieved? I might be older, but you know what? My biscuits are a lot better than they used to be, and when unexpected guests come over I feel confidence, not panic. I’ve learned more about who I am and what I want and how I can use my gifts to serve others.

     So when I look in the mirror and notice the crow’s feet around my eyes and the fact that I really am no good past midnight anymore I won’t long for younger days (especially those days of awkward limbs and college angst). Instead, I will try to remember what is said in Proverbs 16:31:

“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.”