A few months before my fortieth birthday I found my first gray hair ( after having my first hot flash). Now it’s ten years later, and I am approaching my fiftieth birthday( seven months from now).  That first gray hair has since multiplied and I’m none too happy about it. I am wearing my hair shorter and straighter, which means I can see the grays more than ever. Unfortunately, they’ve told their friends about me. I should start charging them rent. I mean seriously, if they’re going to take up residence on my head, why not at least make a profit off of them?

The gray hairs aren’t the only sign of my being middle aged. Gravity has taken hold of my body. But this is not necessarily a bad thing. Thanks to gravity ( and birth control), I have cleavage for the first time in my life. That’s the only part of this whole aging thing I’m enjoying ( you won’t hear any complaints from my husband either).  I am also in the throes of perimenopause and have been for a few years. Oh the joy. I can be sitting in my living room relaxing when out of nowhere, I start heating up like a furnace. Mind you I live in South Florida, with the central air conditioning always on as well as our ceiling fans going. But that doesn’t stop my body from wanting to turn me into Shake and Bake. When I asked her, my gynecologist said this could go on for ten years. By her calculations, I’ve got six more years of this fun to look forward to. Oy.

Then there are my knees. There is more Snap, Crackle, and Pop in them than there is in a box of Rice Krispies.  And let’s not leave out good old arthritis. My knees and my left foot have had the privilege of arthritis moving in. Now I can predict the weather with an ache of my knee or foot. And pretty accurately , I might add.

When did I become middle-aged? How did it happen so fast?  Life as I knew it has changed forever and there are no refunds or exchanges allowed.  Well, I’m not going to sit back and take it! Just because I’m middle-aged doesn’t mean I have to act it !