60 Is the New 30, But Better

I've been told by my friends that the last birthday to look forward to is my 21st birthday. After that, they say, it is all downhill. Friends tell me stories of spending their 22nd, 25th and 30th birthdays mobbing around and feeling miserable. It's true--our society fears aging. (See previous blog entry about plastic surgery.)

It's women who fear aging the most. We fear our first wrinkle, menopause and the dreaded devalued position in society that comes with age. Yet, a new study indicates that "an end to a woman’s reproductive years allows her to channel her energy and resources into caring for her children and grandchildren, thereby providing her descendants with a survival advantage."

Not only that but "Often, the scientists find, women in their 60s are as strong as women in their 20s. “It’s the women over 40 who are carrying the heavy loads,’’ said Dr. Hawkes."

Maybe one day society will value more women beyond their looks and reproductive capacities.