It’s been a great year. One of the best. After years of campaigning for women’s rights, I turned 60 and realised I could finally LIVE liberation rather than just hoping for it.
What took me so long? What changed?
Growing up in Ireland during a different era, we girls were rewarded for CARING. I wasn’t too bad at it then, although I always knew it wasn’t my first calling. The sacrifices of good girls would be rewarded. Good girls would be liked and cherished. Good girls would succeed in the world. Our caring of the world would heal and save humanity.
I never really stopped being good or caring or anything. I just got old with it and some how saw the light of other possibilities. It is still a daily struggle to balance how MUCH I care…..and I genuinely DO care, with how much I want to run wild in the fields utterly CAREFREE. (Apologies for the shouty capitals but they seem to be required here)
These are not regrets, because I know when we care, others thrive. These are wake up call messages to the inner girl child. It’s OK to experience singularity, to be self absorbed, to be selfish with your time, to want to dream a little or even a lot. We can be CAREFREE and CAREFUL in equal measure. Instead of arguing about what kind of feminists we are, we can LIVE liberation.
Whenever I walk through morning frost I am over come by girlish memories and the flame of the women who set out ahead of me on this path. Calamity Jane (Doris Day) riding the Wells Fargo Coach from Illinois, Jane Goodall studying chimpanzee behaviour in the Gombe Forest, Joni Mitchell’s Song for Sharon where she poured her heart out…… again…..
Careful and carefree women grasping their freedom to LIVE their liberation……
It's so nice to see the light and to capture it so perfectly … welcome to the sweet sixties!
Wonderful post!
Welcome winter and its beautiful lights!
Beautiful. It took me 40 years to realize we are not born to fulfill anyone else's expectations but our own. I'm turning 60 next summer and I don't think I've ever felt more myself than now. More blissfully happy, yes, but not this contented. It is a blessing to grow, not just grow old. Never mind I lost my job ages ago and haven't had any income for quite some time now. I'm not letting hardships I cannot do anything about ruin the rest of my life. And I do have everything I need and more. Next year will be great for me, as well as you.
Really insightful Catherine – took me years as well to realise that it's ok to be "good" AND assertive. Takes guts though especially in a society which has been traditionally tuned in to "jobs for the boys"! (or is that just Northern Ireland?!)
A wonderful post…I'm close behind you…but even as I have made my way through my fifties I have started to feel the same. More OK with myself…what you see is what you get kinda attitude! And funny…I looked forward to my fifties and I'm certainly looking forward to my sixties too! Your last image with the frost on the ground so reminds me of following my daddy around on the farm. Always returning home soaked to the knees… love this Catherine!
So loved reading this post, so related to the being 60, and the final starting to feel "free", still caring but "free"
Dearest Catherine, this post evoked so many thoughts in me that I went a little nuts trying to include them all and then decided it was too much for a blog comment! Perhaps more something for a blog Post of my own….Anyway, I am thrilled for your joy and your freedom and can only say that I think it gets better. Better because we worry less and less what others think, we know that to be real and authentic is already a gift in the world (and that the giving flows naturally from our groundedness), and because we just relax and love life. Which I know YOU know how to do! And of course, I *always* love your images….A volte prendiamo un cappuccino insieme a Roma….quant'e bello. Susie
Beautiful Post Ca, can't wait
Beautifully phrased…I have been learning to live again and allowing my inner child to thrive again….I love these words Catherine!