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Sunday, September 26, 2010

Profound Thought #6--Sunset Boulevard


By JamesWhistler, 1871, The Artist's Mother
 I had the pleasure this week of glimpsing at the old movie, Sunset Boulevard.  For those of you who don't know the film, its about an aging silent screen star, Norma Desmond, who can't accept growing old.  (Please take the time to watch the short clip on "I am big...", its classic!)

But it brought up that nagging question, how to grow old gracefully.  I have dissected this all week and have felt that this is a bit of an oxymoron.  First of all, for me it implies that there could be something graceful about growing old.  Other than the alternative, there is nothing good about growing old.  Graceful is something like dance.  Graceful is not football; although there certainly are some balletic moves in football--as slow motion has shown.

But I digress.  For me, its more about how much young you can do without looking stupid.  I think of the people I know growing old gracefully,  and they are embracing the right amount of young, and FIGHTING the old.  And its a battle--just like it is to dance gracefully.

So, I guess the question is: do you want to do battle with the old, and embrace the correct quantity of the young?  Or do you just want to give up and be old?  Poor Norma didn't get it right.

3 comments:

  1. Brilliant Blog! Sunset Boulevard is absolutely one of my all time favorites! There certainly is a fine line between trying to look young and staying true to yourself. Maybe that is the balance, don't try to look young, just be yourself. My mom had this down perfectly. Now, as I approach 44 years, I'm trying to do the same! You have a new follower!

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  2. I need to watch this film. I'm thinking and thinking about what I've ruled out because I'm too old. There are things I'm less inclined to do, but nothing I've ruled out, yet.

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  3. Elegant Bohemian~thanks for becoming a follower and I did the same on yours! I am also a dancer and love Sade!

    I have taken inspiration from my mom also; but it is a fine line!

    Terri~I think also, it can be different for each person--someone may be able to do more young than another person and not look silly.

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