Old Crone

So many older women try desperately to hold on to their youth, however youth and beauty are fleeting. As we age, we’re no longer noticed for our looks.  This can sometimes make us feel invisible, because often our appearance is what identifies us. 

Outward beauty fades and begins to lose its power to attract and charm. With old age comes flappy arms, varicose veins, gray hair, and wrinkles. 

The average life expectancy for women in the United States is 80 years, so your senior years could be the longest part of your life. We tend to see age as an obstacle to be overcome rather than as a stage in life to be enjoyed.

To keep growing as a person you must evolve from that superficial outer identity and create a new kind of inner beauty. It begins with self-acceptance of who we really are, acknowledging how old we really are, and how lucky we are to be at this stage in our lives.  

In the Celtic tradition, there were three phases of a woman’s life; the maiden or innocent child, the mother or nurturer, and the wise old woman or crone. Instead of mourning my lost youth I have decided to embrace my inner old crone.

 At one time “crone” was a title of respect; a woman who was revered for her experience, judgement, healing skills, and wisdom. Crones frequently were leaders, midwives, and healers in their communities. The meaning of the word was distorted by the church who wanted to eliminate women in positions of power.  

An old crone today would be a vibrant older woman with the wisdom of a lifetime to share. She would tend to be the one who keeps the family together, who passes on the traditions, who knows the remedies to cure different ailments. 

I believe it’s time to return wise elders to their rightful place in society, and draw from their wealth of knowledge and life experiences.