Day 31: What I want to be when I grow up...

There has been a plethora of people and news agencies interviewing women over 50 lately; have you noticed?  We are being looked at as a distinctive grouping, prodded and examined by so many that I am beginning to feel…that I may be influential… finally.

We are a large group and we seem to be confusing for many reasons:  we are the first group of grandmothers, almost grandmothers, CEO’s, workers, money makers, home makers, and more importantly, money processors that are fairly well educated, outspoken, and strong willed.  And more notably, we have our own money to purchase things.  Yes, we are the commodity buyers and so we are essential to the world economy.  Even if we live with others, we are the primary purchasers in our households, so we are worth mentioning to others, at last.

I remember the 60’s, 70’s, and afterward (too many decades to recall at once).  Remember the meaning attached to the “teeny bopper (is our newborn king uh huh)”? Our darling pre-teens and teens had the eye of the media and were thought to be the key consumer in our society because of their buying power a collective unit.  But, I ask you, even then, where did these kids get their money?

Money seems to always have been the basis for just about everything in our societal rulings but those who are examining the over 50 aged women are missing a key component in their analysis.  We are significant because of our accomplishments not because we “buy things.”  We are the first group of women to successfully navigate the world of work and the home simultaneously and still remain sexy at the same time.  We gave birth to others (which no man has ever achieved, giggle), managed homes and offices, and stayed active in the bedroom all at the same time (men need Viagra, women don’t). We are doing more, living longer, raising our children’s children (sometimes), and making our homes so nice, our adult children don’t want to leave (that’s a pity, isn’t it).

How do I know that I am suddenly important to the media?  Let’s see, 50 is the new 30; Betty White in commercials (of course I know she’s older than 50), all of our music groups have been reactivated and are touring again; any Dove commercial (soap or ice cream, you pick); Old Spice commercials clearly aimed at me (don’t you just love them!), and every news show is moving towards having their own Meredith Vieira personality.

Now that we know we’re important, what does this mean? It means we have a new responsibility to use our power, for good.  Women have always been the “head” on the shoulders of the family, the cautious ones, the thinkers before you act, by and large. Unfortunately, women have always been guarded against other women (we’re not good at trusting each other, are we?).  We fall for the “man in charge” mentality and quickly give our power over to others.

Let’s not do that this time; let’s see what this new found interest in us produces: better products for us, better politicians (is that even possible??); a better society…

Let’s get out in front and do more leading than following; more talking instead of listening; more using our brains instead of just our hearts (we do tend to be an emotional group...) The more respect I get, the happier I feel however, I would caution us to remember the axiom, power is like vacation days at the job, use it or lose it.

When I grow up, I want to be ….me.