Age

I won't be obvious and talk about mothers day, although part of my inspiration has come from one of the presents my lovely boys have given me this morning. The curious case of Benjamin Button. I have never seen the film, though I obviously know what it's about, I just wasn't lucky enough to see it at the cinema. 

As you are aware, I work in a secondary school and on a daily basis am surrounded by young people desperate to be older. They try to act older, which usually only makes them appear much younger and more child like, they wear lots of make up thinking that this will make them appear more mature and it's not just the girls! They are obsessed with how old people are, I am asked at least once a week, usually by female students, "How old are you miss?" To which I will nearly always reply, "72" They laugh and say that of course I'm not that old, if I was that old I wouldn't be working, 72 to them is the verge of death. 

So then the ping pong begins, I have no intention of telling them my true age, not because I'm ashamed to admit it, but because I love to hear how old they think I am. I think the youngest age I've been guessed at so far is 28.... not bad eh? Still, the student in question, although 15, didn't realise that the word "there" begins with a letter T and not V. The oldest and closest was 38, still quite flattering though, but of course I'm not naive enough to think that they really know or care how old I am, they're just trying to get a feel for what life might be like for them when they're as old and wrinkly as me.

As for me, well I like to think I am a little like Benjamin Button in a reversed kind of way. I know I am getting older, physically, I can see it in the mirror, but mentally I'm heading backwards. Maybe it's working with young people that does it, maybe it's my boys that keep me young, whatever it is I'm not complaining. I feel about 18 in my head and am happier with my life and the skin I've grown in to than I've ever felt before.

As I mentioned somewhere else recently, I have a new favourite quote regarding my life and my appearance;

Your body is not a temple, it's a funground, now go and enjoy it!