Women of Substance

Featured in the news 2 days ago was a woman who was 50+ years old yet looked 20+.

I did not feel a tinge of envy for her.

It appears that there is a mad rush in the world of people pursuing youth.  So I sat with the newspaper and wondered why it is that this rush does not touch me at all.

I thought about the people whose lives do attract me and affect me.

Here are some of the women that have at least one attribute that I wish I could just pluck and attach to myself. Women I want to be like. Women whose strength I want, women that I envy.

HUNTER WOMAN, ARUNACHAL PRADESH

WOODCUTTER WOMAN, ARUNACHAL PRADESH, INDIA, 2011

CARRYING BACK HAY FOR THE FARM ANIMALS, RAJASTHAMN 2011

I have not only clicked all of these women but interacted with and exchanged spirit with these strong spirited women.

These are just a few of the many women in real life whose stories I found worth listening to. All of these have exemplary physical strength. There are so many others, spirited in hundreds of other unimaginable ways.

After such experiences, how could one waste one’s thoughts, time and energy on the pursuit of  ‘youth’!

When I was young I thoroughly enjoyed my youth. I did the right things  (and the wrong things) at the right times.

And now that I am old I am thoroughly enjoying my wisdom and my confidence that comes from having grown my mind and spirit in all of these years. I have so much to look back at – all those seedlings planted that have grown into blooming trees.  This vision of ‘looking back at’ can only come with age!

And I am grateful to have had  inspirational people in my life  and in the books I read who influenced me to stay hungry for diverse experiences and to pursue stimulation.

jm

Aug 2012