I've been away for a while but here I am back.  Just returned from London where I went to see the BP National Portrait Exhibition.  I've been for the last few years as portrait painting fascinates me.  Our appearance is so unique and it is incredible that there are folk out there who can capture all its nuances, shadows, and minute details.   Interestingly, for the past two years the winning portraits have been of older people; this year both first and second prizes went to depictions of those of us in the white-haired brigade.   To be honest, I don't think I could live with either of them on my sitting room wall but it heartened me that they won.  Without question they were beautifully painted, skin, hair, wrinkles and body shape were so accurate that I felt if I touched them I would feel warm flesh. 

The media concentrate so much on serving up a diet of young, bright, full-of-life characters  that many older people feel as if they are living in the shadows.  Invisible. 

I have always thought (even before I joined the club) that there is a beauty in old age, born of experience, of living.  I am bemused by the huge popularity of all things old - except people.  Retro clothing, vintage fashion accessories, antique furniture - all are much sought after.  They are valued, signs of wear are not in the least off-putting and no doubt conjure up thoughts of what the life of that object might have involved.   I have a beautiful old pine letter writing slope.  It is plain, lacking in decoration, without great age (late 1800s I believe) and to many may seem unremarkable.   But I fell in love with it when I found an ink stain on the top, just where a previous owner's pen would have rested.  It set me off on a reverie; had letters been written by a young lady to her beau, from a mother to an errant son or daughter, a sister to a brother doing military service...?   It has provided me with many an hour of pleasant musing.  

If you can see the beauty and value in old, well-used inanimate objects, why on earth can't you recognise the beauty of old people?   Quite often older people are regarded as just that;  little thought is given to the fact that people only reach old age after a life-time of experience, and considerable wear and tear.  And that's what gives us our character, building our attitudes, forming our principles, teaching us how to live.  So wrinkles have actually been earned through a life lived.

When we turn 60 we don't automatically become fans of knitting (having said that I do knit but I have done so on and off over many years), Scrabble (ditto!), bingo (can't stand it), and develop a penchant for cocoa and furry slippers.   It ain't like that!   No time left - come back and find out more tomorrow.