An Honorable Mention from The Green Study “What’s on the B Side of that 45?” Contest goes to Ruth at Travelling True North for the morning conversation we often have with ourselves.
She was sent one The Green Study Coffee Mug, a postcard from Minneapolis and $25 donation was made on her behalf to the Red Cross International Emergency Response Fund.
“Life in the Midlife Teens”
By Ruth at Travelling True North
Mind: What’s that noise? 5am and someone woke me up. Ergh… Zzzzz.
Body: Zzzzz….
Mind: Argh. Again? It must be the cat. No, stop that, it’s your child.
Body: I’m not getting up.
Mind: Well, neither am I because I am only 18 and I deserve sleep.
Body: Still not getting up.
Mind: No. No. No,no,no,no,nooooooooo. Still with the noise! What’s that husband doing? Sleeping. Argh…
Body: I still hurt from staying up past 9.30pm last night. But YOU ARE A PARENT. Get. Out. Of. Bed.
Ok, done. Ugg boots on (it’s still a bit cold), fleece….
3 mins.
Body: Damn. Still up. Now with cuddly child. Lovely cuddly child, all warm and soft and desperately clinging on while saying ‘cuddddddddllllllllllleeeeeesssssss’. Nice. Eyes still barely open though. Just missed walking into the wall. Argh.
Mind: What do you mean we have to function? It’s 5am. 5. A.M.
Well, I leave it up to you.
Body: Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no no. I’m the one who knows how old we are. I’m the one who feels the aches, the stress of aging joints, the fatigue of needing a few hours more sleep each day, and the head thump of that extra glass of wine last night.
YOU’RE the one who seemed to think this is all ok. That kids past 40 was a great idea and that we all had the stamina for several YEARS of sleepless nights, extended bedtimes, no personal time and endless rounds of the ‘why’ game. We’re all in this together, baby. Stump up.
Mind: Hmmm. I am still 18 you know. 18 was not that long ago, if you recall. We were vibrant, healthy, had a nice growing bank balance and could lift weights greater than our body fat index…
Body: 18 was YEARS ago. YEARS.
Mind: But then not so much has changed, has it?
Has it?
Body: No, no. Though, um. There’s that ‘changed’ waistline, the hair colour, red-eye-reduction eye drop fascination and fondness for soft cheeses. Oh, and the need to head to bed at 9pm…
Mind: Well, in my defence soft cheeses are brilliant. And the kids have ruined all hope of normal sleep.
Body: And we’re all just passed 40…
Just sayin’…
Mind: 40 is the new 20.
Body: Really?
Mind: Really.
Body: Realllllly??
Mind: Pause.
…the new black??
Body: Clutching at straws, my friend. Clutching at straws. Do you recall when our 17 year old niece came to visit? You spent all that prep time thinking about how you would connect about social interests, school, friends and personal values. And it became verrrry clear that your scintillating conversation about home cooking, tree hugging and the joys of craft were falling just short of the dramatic eye-roll/ rapid-exit combo move. Even your ‘I really liked a party’ tale from the 90s was met with a well meaning, bemused, smile and a quick hug goodnight. Loving, but. Not quite what you were expecting?
Mind: Humph.
Body: Or the time you said yes to skiing and we broke a leg? 12 weeks in a cast, no driving, little travel and a particularly challenging time trying to work. Could have gone better, Lady Osteo?
Mind: Well, it did break on the end of a great run… And it was a very stylish manoeuvre…
Body: I say it again, juuuust not 18.
Mind: Right. Well then, I guess you’re saying it’s all back to hot flushes, the hair colourist, a stab at the 5:2 Diet, and carving out personal time in an overworked schedule?
Body: And reading Miffy at 5am.
Pause.
Mind: And reading Miffy at 5am.
Body: So, it’s not so bad… Is it?
Mind: (Staring at a bundle of warm, soft, cuddly child, resting in peace) No. It’s not so bad.
Mind: Not so bad at all.
Congratulations Ruth!
Check out her blog for a little direction:
The Green Study 
Share Your Thoughts