63. Back To The Future
When a couple of guys mentioned they thought I was cute and that they had a crush on me, I was absolutely in disbelief. In those days I weighed a natural 85 pounds for my 5'3" frame and always wore long sleeved blouses to cover the "sticks" that passed for my arms. "Anorexia" was not a word or concept that existed in those days, though I just looked anorexic, in spite of my football player's appetite. My brother called me a "skag;" I pretended I wasn't, but it was a constant mental battle not to feel like I actually was.
I'm happy to report that after forty years, everyone is totally relaxed and finally comfortable in her/his own skin, in whatever shape. I am also validated in my belief that women do in fact age better than men. Everyone at the reunion saw it with her/his own eyes, all the men even concurred, which is the point I am pondering in this article.
The expectations that are placed upon us at our high school graduations, either by one's self or one's parents, and perhaps by society in general, do have an everlasting affect on the quality of life that one lives. Those who follow their inner ambitions, unadulterated by outside pressures, have a better chance at true contentment. Men of my generation did not have the "Women's Lib Movement" or any "bra burning" to free them from the bonds of societal mores. Men who graduated in the 60s not only had an unpopular war to fight, they still had to measure up to "bringing home the bacon," being better fathers than the ones they knew, and learn to understand the "new woman."
It's no wonder the myth of "men age better than women" is being disproved over and over again. Personal malcontent or unfulfillment subtlely shows up in one's demeanor, lack of refulgence, and the "hard-looking" lines in the face, as opposed to more gentle looking lines of graceful acceptance. Ladies, no doubt about it, let's go easier on men just because.
There were many of my girlfriends who had no interest in attending the high school reunion for whatever reasons. No amount of coaxing could change their minds. They missed out on a weekend of magic, memories and myth breaking. Open hearts and open minds are always rewarded with new revelations; many of which I will be sharing through time in various articles
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