Why I enjoy being 60 — well, as long as it lasts

I used to tell people that my all-time favorite age was 35 — but I’ve changed my mind.  I think being 60 is far more fun — in different kinds of ways.  Sure, at 35 I wore a size 6 comfortably, made small waves in the national PR community, was a correspondent for a San Francisco journal, worked with my spectacular husband on designing our dream house, and was president of the local Bryn Mawr Club –la di da.  (Is that how Annie Hall said it?)

But that was before I had a precious family — and that was before I learned to say what I meant — not what I hoped people would like to hear.  Before I truly became myself!

Sure my waist is thicker — but I know so much more now and I’m not shy about keeping important things a secret. My wonderful friend Marian, who’s known me since I was 15, told me that I’m just as opinionated as I was in high school. (I guess it must be true.)  Now at 60, we truly value each other’s opinions — and our friendship means so much to me.

I learned tons last year — the sort of stuff you learn when you see your mother’s brain dissolve before your very eyes. Her brain — not her heart.  When she was in the final stage of Alzheimer’s, she  still held my hand, gobbled down food with me, and made me feel just as loved as she always had.  I immodestly suspect that she may have passed on some of her wisdom.

So now at 60, I have a much sharper sense of who I am.  I like to be a clown at times, I like to help people untangle sticky situations, and I love to give acquaintances unexpected surprises.  Plus I still enjoy a bit of mischief!  Like yesterday, when I told the sweet salespeople at J.Crew that I qualified for their Seven Sisters Discount.  They oh so politely admitted that they hadn’t heard of it before and perked up their ears.  I dared to tell them that people who buy clothes at J.Crew try to look like they went to Bryn Mawr or Smith. They cracked up and told me that if I was looking for good sales, there were plenty around.  Well, not all of your shoppers, I added  — reminding them that the most famous J.Crew fan, Michelle Obama, is a Princeton girl.