BLOGG # AGING BEAUTIES

I have been struggling with my  blogg in  June  for some time. The theme I was working with was "Aging Beauties"-a subject inspired by a visit my daughter and I did to a well known communal rhododendron garden in Victoria that was started in the early fifties. The rhododendrons were at least sixty years old  and were very mature. My idea of a typical rhododendron plant  was a vision of overblown  lush blossoms on big plump bushes. What I did not expect was the beauty of these mature tall rhododendron trees growing in this enchanted forest-for forest it was. There were tall gnarled trunks with exaggerated branches twisting in strange shapes-a magical forest perfect for a child to run through. I was transported to my childhood and the forest of poplar trees where I used to play -swinging on the low sturdy branches and hiding in the hollows. The real magic here though were the blossoms. These were not overblown and lush. They were delicate with lovely hues and with a perfect display of stamen and petals- very precise and beautifully defined-a lesson in the perfection of nature and it's purpose. I found it interesting that these mature blossoms, in comparison to their younger sisters, depicted more clearly the sensuality and purpose of  blossoms. They were surprisingly beautiful and they were sexy! Of course bees were very present. I left that enchanted garden thinking of the beauty of age and maturity -a foreign thought in this youth-worship era.

Twice a week I go to my exercise class. It is a class designed for Seniors. If you are ninety or over the class is free and we do have members of that age. The class is inspirational. We are all at different levels of physical stamina and cognitivity but this does not stop any of us. Some of us always sit on chairs, some of us sit on the chairs when tired and sometimes we use them for support. What we do not do is shirk from doing the exercises. We come with walkers ,canes and attendants. Our exercise clothes range from cool to outfits from before the time of spandex. What comes through consistently though is the beauty of the members as they adapt their bodies to do their bidding in confidence and knowledge of what the precious body will do. And yes-we are all in our own way beautiful-like the lovely mature rhododendron trees.

The other day a friend wrote commenting on the inability to keep up with the walking group,the acceptance of aging and the awareness of it. I wrote I sympathized with the "aging" awareness-"You find it discouraging that you can't keep up-I am realizing that the possibility of physical pleasures are probably remote for me -though I have noticed an increase of sensual enjoyment visually-this early morning on the balcony I watched the moon wane with delight and watched the flights of birds around my balcony and listened to their  lovely sounds with more intense pleasure than I have ever experienced before-a sort of heightened awareness."  Perhaps that will be the answer for me and for all of us  who are getting older-like the beautiful aging rhododendron trees in the enchanted garden too.