Other's Opinions and Other Useless Stuff

I wish I could tell you that by the time you turn 40 you don't care what other people think. I think that comes more with your 50's. I wonder if you really don't care or if you are just used to what other people think of you. Example:

You get together with some old friends that you haven't seen since the last time you were skinny. At 40, we think - "How am I going to lose 20 lbs before we get together. Oh my gosh, I've got bags under my eyes! I need to get my roots touched up. I better drive my hubby's car instead of the mini-van. I better order a salad so they think I'm healthier than them and I just don't know why I'm fat!"

So you get together with your friends and you are feeling insecure, you wear all black and suck in your gut, order the salad, get gas because your waistband is too tight and causing a blockage in your intestines. You're feeling uncomfortable and notice they too have a little extra poundage, new hair cuts & color which you comment, "I just LOVE your hair!" "Oh - but I love yours!" So your haircuts & color look like your last attempt to keep up with the times. But you don't have to worry about what they're thinking about you because they are thinking about what you think of them. And they measure their age progression by what you look like. "Hmmm. Fifi's looking a little tired. Yep, that's how we look in our 40's. Tired." Let me tell ya, Honey, no nap can get this look off my face. Not for the lack of trying though.

And people in their 50's think - how should I know what they think? Maybe I'll call one of my 50-ish friends. Well, I would imagine them to get together with their old friends if you can still remember them by then. And we know we've all got gray hair by then, so no use of hiding it. What waistline? It's unnatural at 50+ to have a waistline. Grandmas are supposed to be a little plump. They are supposed to have droopy bossoms.

Where was I? Caring what other people think - I'm getting a little more outspoken in my 40's, but I tended to let people walk all over me in my 20's & 30's. No more. It is a lot easier to say "No" now. So, enough of me - lets talk about YOU......and what YOU think of me.