“My best years were in my 40s,” my mother used to tell me. She had a love for life, music, and plants. Sometimes if she heard music that she liked – it didn’t matter where we might be – she would look at me, smile, and break into a waltz. She always looked nice before stepping out the door. I loved watching her put her hair into a delicate bun, then finish the look with a soft curled lock on her forehead. She never colored her hair. She was the essence of aging gracefully.
Then this morning I saw that “Chinese ‘glam-mas’ are taking the internet by storm…”
In their 60s, the group of former models – they met in modeling school 20 years ago – have embraced “becoming older” with open arms. When Covid restricted their freedom to move about, they decided not to sulk and took their lives to the next level – making videos.
Sixty-four-year old Lin Wei, one of the group members, told Reuters, “Your life is grey if you are always afraid of aging and death. You are old, you have wrinkles, you don’t have too much energy, or your figure becomes baggy. But this is something you can’t go against, so you need to face it with positivity.”
The veteran fashionistas create their own runways combining traditional and modern ensembles. Watching them strut their way around Beijing with attitude and gorgeous posture was the kickstart I needed. They are like elegant birds of paradise, the tropical flower that symbolizes freedom and joy.
Is 60 still the new 40? Indeed. A July 2020 study in The Lancet, a prestigious medical journal, defines 45-65 years to be the new “mid-life.”
Well then, I’m in good company.
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