Friday, June 12, 2009

I'm Breaking Out While Some are Breaking Down

One of the surprises I'm experiencing is how some people in my life have depended on me remaining the same. I write this now because at my stage of life, middle-age, I'm experiencing a great amount of growth or perhaps it is that I'm rediscovering parts of myself that I walked away from years ago. It means I'm embracing my body and its needs, but even more my need to be engaged with the world and with people in positive and important ways.

It also means that I'm embracing clothes that fit my body and I've uncovered my hair for the first time in 20 years. My smiles are larger, my laugh heartier and my love of Allah has been reignighted. Interesting, that my love for my Creator is coming through the practice of meditation and Three Jewels (Buddha, dharma, and sangha).

For some there are questions like "What are you doing?" and of course there are queries about the whys and wherefores of my changes. Did they actually think that menopause meant I was going to be set in stone, unchanging and dependable in look, outlook and spirituality? Well if they did, they now know that like them I'm still a work in progress.