Dear Rose # 19 - The wisdom of elders

Rose is an amalgam of us - women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond who are looking for somewhere they are seen, heard and listened to.

Dear Rose,

This morning, as I walked my Sunday laps at the pool, all I wanted to do was cry. There was nothing to cry about, and yet, there was everything to cry about. Does that make sense?

Sometimes it feels like my head and my heart aren’t speaking the same language. Part of me wanted to cry because I was focusing on all the things I don’t have and all the ways I’m not "successful." The other part of me was saying, “But Em, you have everything you need. You are safe, and you’ve created a gorgeous life.”

Guess what made everything feel better? Connection.

I met with my friend Jennie, who is in her late 70s, and I basked in her wisdom for a few hours. She told me I was allowed to worry this much—as she held her thumb and forefinger about 2 cm apart. She said she never tells someone they aren’t allowed to feel what they feel, but she tries to help them worry just a little bit less.

And just like that, my heart and my head feel connected again.

Love, Em xx