Reading and Modeling Past Age 50

I just finished reading a very good book last night.  For those that know me, I don't sit and just read during the day.  I have too many other things going on and I'm not real good at just sitting.  I read every night, though.  As I've aged, I don't fall asleep easily. I took a Tylenol PM every night for a couple of years, but I  quit taking it about six months ago because I thought it was making me too drowsy the next morning, so I have taken up reading in bed before I go to sleep.  A book sits right next to my bed with my little reading light attached and I read until my eyes just won't stay open.  The book I just finished last night was "Lost In The Forest" by Sue Miller.

I thought it was very well written.  The story was good, but almost secondary to the writing style and the way Sue Miller has of putting words together.  She's an excellent story teller.  The story is about a young teenage girl whose parents are divorced and her stepfather whom she was very close to was just killed.  The struggles then that she goes through in her teen years as she searches for a father figure and falls prey to an older, married man.  She eventually falls back into a father/daughter relationship with her real, biological father. 

The book I'm starting tonight is "Me & Emma" by Elizabeth Flock.  I believe it came out in 2006, but it was recommended to me recently by a good friend.

Now an update on the fashion show last night.  The turnout was good, but I've clearly decided that I'm not going to model for it anymore.  It just was not fun and exciting like it used to be.  The clothes were nice and I suffered through doing my hair and make-up, which I just don't like fussing over any more, and I looked good enough, but I'm just done with it.  Been There, Done That.  As my cousin said to me today, "If it's not fun anymore, it's time to move on and quit doing it.  Life is too short".  I agree with that thinking totally.  I'll find some other way to support and contribute to the good cause.  In this case it was for our local Free Health Clinic. 
At age 50, two years ago, I started saying "no" to a lot of things that I used to say "yes" to out of a feeling of obligation, guilt, not wanting to hurt someone's feelings, what have you.  I have thankfully learned that I don't have to do anything I don't want to do.  Don't get me wrong, if it's something I need to do for any of my family or a loved one, and somebody really needs my help, I will do whatever I can.  But these charity, volunteer things, I can pick and choose to do, or not do, whatever I want.
I love being 52, I truly do!  Such a liberation.  For any woman under 50 and dreading the thought of aging, DON'T.  Stay healthy and age gracefully.  Life gets better.  We should be proud of each and every wrinkle, sag and bag, not ashamed of them.  We've earned them.