Tuesday, May 24, 2016

I'm 50! - Lessons from Sally O'Malley


I'm 50!



I've just come off of a most extraordinary birthday weekend celebrating 50 years and am thrilled to enter into the second half of my life with so much good energy, love, strength and gratitude. Mostly I'm thrilled because just six months ago I woke every morning to crippling pain, plodding through my day in a low level depression. After over five years of medical appointments and a dozen different doctors I was able to finally get the hip replacement surgery I needed to feel like a normal person again. My new hip is the source of my love for Sally O'Malley.

As you know if you watched the video at the top of the post, my girl Sally likes to kick! Stretch and kick! She's 50! Molly Shannon created the red nylon jumpsuit wearing spitfire for Saturday Night Live and in every skit Sally O'Malley left us with consistent lessons:

1. Just go for what you want. Ignore the facts or the societal assumptions. Remain stubbornly oblivious to the boxes that others want to stuff you into. Sally shows up for auditions at a strip club, try outs for a spot on the Rockette's line and training for the police academy. 

2. Balance is key. Kick! Stretch. Kick!  Life is not all kicking and yet 50 doesn't mean the kicking need stop.

3. You are the one and only. Big bouffant hairdo with a bold red jumpsuit isn't the look for everyone but if it's yours, own it! At 50 I'm too old to worry about what others think. 

Starting today I am going to embody Sally O'Malley. Red isn't really my color and my hair is super short but I'm definitely going to Kick! Stretch and Kick! Cuz I'm 50!