On Turning Sixty

Fearless Sixty

I turn 60 in September. The funny thing about it is that I am delighted. Why is sixty so sensational? What is good about this? What have I learned? So goes my reflections these past few weeks.

This week brought a very powerful revelation. One of the radio stations was asking “What birthday was tough for you?” For me it was 25. And I continued to celebrate my 25^th birthday for the next 25 years. Looking back it is clear that I was really quite unhappy with my life for much of those 25 years. And sadly I see many people who are unhappy for all the same reasons. People come to me for readings and coaching struggling first and foremost with self-esteem. This manifests itself through perfectionism, control issues, isolation, feeling they don’t fit in, hating their physical appearance and all too often ends up in addictions. That is one nasty way to celebrate birthdays!

Thankfully, something happened at 50! For some reason it just seemed right to turn fifty and be me! I finally started to tune in to my spiritual self again. This is true for many people when they turn a ‘certain’ age. In tune with my spiritual self the world was far more welcoming, less lonely and hostile. Reading “The Road Less Traveled” by Scott Peck had a huge impact. Peck talks about a Christian God full of Love. Who knew! It seemed to me He was always punishing someone for something. I started to see that in many faiths of the world from Paganism to Buddhism that love and compassion are truly how the world is meant to run.

It finally became very clear to me that each and every one of us is created to contribute exactly what we can, what we are good at and what we are passionate about as part of the great plan of the Universe. The visual that helps me with this is that each one of is a puzzle piece. We are created as a perfect part of the puzzle and are unique. No other puzzle piece is like another one. It takes all of the puzzle pieces to complete the picture, doesn't it? When we stop trying to be a different puzzle piece we actually live the life we are meant to live. It is that simple in my books.

For many years I fought with my puzzle piece. I did not like the shape or the colour of it. Oh, I so wanted to be a whole different puzzle piece and preferably in a different puzzle. I really felt that I did not belong here and that I had no real purpose. Finally, at fifty the perfection of my piece and fit in the great Universe started to become clear. When we see ourselves as part of the Divine we can finally see ourselves as perfect just as we are today. It is no wonder our energy swirls within and through each other. We are all part of the whole puzzle. Once I stopped trying to change my place in the Great Puzzle life became really good. All the things needed to be me were right there in front of me the whole time! Makes you wonder why we fight it so hard to be something we are not doesn't it?

And so sixty approaches. I guess this means that I am officially a crone now. At one time that meant an old woman to me and I was not impressed with the whole concept. As the roles of maiden and mother fall to younger women, there is a place for this crone. This age feels so free. Free to fit in. Free to slow down or speed up. Free to listen, free to ask questions, free to try new things and look ridiculous. Free to be grateful for waking up and accepting the unique life I have been given. Free to see that life is a journey and truly we are free at any age. Finally I can see that all those twenty five 25^th birthdays were not wasted. Each day, each year has its place on our own unique journey. And that is just perfect.

And so life flows. Simple, beautiful and wonderful if we just let it happen.

I would love to hear about your special birthday either the tough ones or the great ones.

Marilyn