WOMEN OVER 40 ROCK!

CLAIRE’S CORNER

I have developed a little space for my self called Claire’s Corner.  It’s in my brain and I am going to refer to it when I need it to: feel better about myself, smarter about myself, as well as hopeful, loving, healthy, and creative by myself. It’s a private club and I am the only member and I have nothing to prove except to myself. And I am not going to let it be judgemental about me.

Why and How did this happen you might ask.  Over the weekend I read a book  THE UNCOMMON READER by Alan Bennett.  ( the main character is a female over 40–yeah).  It’s a little book with a lot of punch and I would recommend it highly to anyone who is interested in learning. In this world of modern technology, that can sometimes feel beyond total comprehension, it’s a good feeling to know that reading and writing and the desire to learn anything new, especially at a late date, is a great feat to try and achieve.

I  learned a new word in the book, THE UNCOMMON READER.  It is Opsimath.  From the dictionary, Opsimath: one who learns only late in life. That is what happens to the main character in the book. She learns late in life so many new things and with such zeal that it was truly inspirational to me.  I want to be like her. Sometimes I feel that I am too old to really accomplish anything significant.  But that doesn’t have to be true.  Yes we have always heard about the Grandma Moses example but that kind of significance is difficult at any age. Choose what is significant to you: reading more, writing more, learning a new language, exercising more, getting into gourmet cooking or WHATEVER and see where it takes you. Maybe it is just learning a new word a week or a day.  That’s where I am starting out from, and my word is Opsimath.

I have been called a few things in my day but being called an Opsimath  wouldn’t bother me, in fact I would love it. To keep learning late in life is something to strive for because it takes courage and strength. You might learn about something that will help the world, your family, or just yourself. Maybe you will have to go to your private corner, like me, to get started. Even if I never move out of it, I will like myself and my life better.  And as we have always heard, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE.

Claire Callaway, Blogger for In the Trenches Productions, The First Entertainment Website for Women Over 40 on the web