We humans like to exercise our creativity with how we name things. Naming our children is a big deal, and how we name a business, product or place has a lot to do with how successful they are. Clever and tongue in cheek names are one way to draw attention to your business . Would you get a haircut at “Chop shop”, “Snip, Snip Hooray”, “Hair Raising” or “ Luxe Locks”? Maybe not, but I’m very likely to remember the name! I would like to name a cemetery, “When All is Said and Done”,but how about “Permanent Solutions”, “ Eternal Garden Party” or “ Long Term Stay”. We can have a lot of fun naming things or people, but it is not always benign or without prejudice or malice.
How we refer to older people can be just plain fun, not so funny, or denigrating or hateful. How do we say “old person “ nicely? Unfortunately we have lots of ways to say “old person” not so nicely. In my “Golden Years” I’m “ Past my Prime” and I fear I’m “Over the Hill” too. Call me an “old biddy”, “old hag” or “old bat” and I will punch you! I don’t know any older men who want to be called “Old Codger”,“Old Geezer” or “Old Coot” either! Don’t call me “honey” or “dearie” either, I don’t need to be patronized or handled with kid gloves. I am trying to be aware of how I refer to myself. I participate in negative stereotyping when I say I’m having a “senior moment” or “I’ll play the old lady card”. At least we can pretty much retire being referred to as “blue hairs”. Hair dyes are so much better now! I’m proudly a natural salt and pepper gray.
Why do I even care about how I am addressed or how I talk to myself? I’m hoping to land on a way to celebrate who I am at 73, and not allow myself to be marginalized. Could my life experiences be woven into much more than a “has been”? I was, I am and I will be. I have a past, a present and a future. I have within me all the experiences I have lived. If others see my older body and presume my thoughts, beliefs and emotions are “old”, they would be very mistaken. Many of my core values may be “old”, but only in the sense that they have been supported and promoted for thousands of years. Love, respect and tolerance aren’t new values, but they will never be has-beens.
Retro is in! Don’t forget “Everything old is new again”! Which means that “trends, ideas, or styles from the past often return to popularity after fading, reflecting the cyclical nature of culture and fashion.” What’s cool today may have been cool when I was younger. This can be hard for young people to accept. I’m retro and new again and I’m ok with that.
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