On aging

 

On aging

 

No woman with respect for herself, wears shorts, miniskirts or long boots after reach and pass the thirties. No woman has a taste in garment, or sense of elegance, if she continues to have long hair after reach 40 years.

 

That is not my way of thought, rest assure. But for fashion dessinger Carolina Herrera (born 1939 in Caracas, Venezuela) that seems to be a mandate, wrote in stone. Of course, in a world where all our statements run for social networks faster than light, lots of women of all ages are now furious. They are saying “hey look, I am 46 and my precious hair is wonderful, I’m so proud of it, and you are an infamous snob, bitch!”

In my opinión (no one asked for that, but it’s my blog, so fuck you all) elegance, beauty, are valors, and once you have one of them, they are with you ‘till the last of your days, even if you are hundred and twenty years.

So it doesn’t matter. Who cares? Who cares about the opinión of Ms. Herrera? One could argue that she is wrong, or lying, or envious because she is 81, and works for an industry where you need to be always under 25, otherwise you are dead. But then, why all the rage against the fashion dessigner? Probably because they care. Probably because hers is a strong voice, one that needs to be listen.

It could be, also, that Ms Herrera’s thoughts have had a harming effect over some people. Insecure people, or men and women that look at the glass every morning and end with dissapointment. People that is currently getting older.

 

A former PM of the United Kingdom, Harold Wilson (Labour Party), wrote a book of memoires on his years as Prime Minister, and told that during an economic crisis (aproximately 1960s), some members of the British Establishment, among them the Governor of The Bank of England and Lord Louis Mountbatten, conspired against him, and tried to make a coup d’etat. But Queen Elizabeth II acted fast and without hesitation, cutting down the plot, and telling of Mountbatten. Might by just a fear for Mr Wilson, but the fact is that those were bad days for Britain, having lost his role as super power and vetoplayer for the World, and struggling for a new place. The once powerful and supreme United Kingdom of Great Britain, Ireland, India and the other realms of the Common Wealth, the Lord Mountbatten, one of the chieff architects of the Allied Victory in World War Two, and an Ex Prime Minister. Old relics.

 When Winston Churchill came at the age of 80, The Parliament wanted to congratulate him, and comissioned an artist to make a portrait of The Old Bulldog. Once Mr Churchill saw the final result, he was not just anger, but sad. So sad he ended ressigning from his office, after almost 60 years of public service “Mr Prime Minister you must understad-said the artist- that aging is very cruel”.

 

But is it true? Is it horrible getting older and older? I have doubts… Talking whit a girl during a party, she told me that her mom was 60. And she also told me that saw her mother full of life, happy, serene and more glorious in her 60s than in her 30s, 40s, or 50s. “I guess she is now at peace with herself and the rest of the World”

What then, is aging? Could be to learn to say fare thee well to those who were our friends, and life companions? To do less and less every day?

I’m giving rounds and rounds… Just a way to practice English write. Just a way to recover the blog. In the days to come I’ll write more and more, mixing my thoughts with the news, or simply wrinting poems, or pieces of work. Like this one. Some thing it explains the origen of nationalisim, or constitutes the foundations of ruling Britania. To me is only an old man, in his castle, dying at his great table, saying a last pray for his beloved Kingdom:

 

“This royal throne of Kings, this scepter d’Isle

This earth of majesty, this Seat of Mars,

This other Eden, demy Paradise,

This fortres, built by Nature for herself,

Against infection and the hand of war

This happy breed of men, this Little world,

This precious Stone, set in the Silver Sea,

[which serves it

In the office of a wall,

Or as a Moat defensive to a house

Against the envy of less happier lands,

This blessed plot, this earth

[This Realm

This England”

John of Gaunt, in Shakespeare’s Richard II.