Marrying George Clooney

full disclosure: i’m not a big contest person (see below). i hardly ever join. maybe it’s my insecurity, maybe my fear of failure, or fear of success – depending on the day. but i’m awfully proud i hit the 50 mark a few years back and decided that since i write about all & everything from a midlife point of view, i would try this.

so here goes, what i love about being 50.

i love when i look in the mirror, i get to see a woman who has lived life fully.
i love that every single mistake i made in my life got me here, to this moment, to this day.
i love that i take very little for granted and appreciate the tiny little moments more.
i love that i’m paying more attention to my body and spirit.
i love that my husband and i are growing together.
i love that it was coined the fuck you 50′s, because for so long we couldn’t for the life of us say no.
i love that mick jagger is older than me.
i love that there is no such thing as growing down.
i love that with 50 comes wisdom & experience & knowledge & a deep desire for peace of mind rather than piece of ass.
i love that i outgrew all my clothing with huge shoulder pads.
i love that my girlfriends and i have conversations that range from profound to silly.
i love that sex feels much more intimate and romantic, and when i look into my husband’s eyes i can see his heart and soul.
i love that with 50 comes a generosity, a kindness, a desire to forgive, a need to listen more carefully, a need to loan a shoulder, offer a hand, open your heart, a need to inspire, encourage, and help someone cross the street.

with 50 comes a soft power.

(I’m trying to blog my way to the AARP Orlando@50 conference. This blog post is an entry in their competition to find the official blogger to travel to and cover the event. Find out more about the conference here.)