This Tugged My Heart: “Of Age and Love”

This Letter to the Editor in yesterday’s New York Times really touched me, especially as a woman looking at 60.

I want to re-print it in its entirety, because, well, what would I want to leave out?

. . . . . . .

“It took me until my 60s to realize that there is no such thing as a formerly beautiful woman.

Having started out as a shy guy in the ’60s — I met my wife in high school in 1966 — and having just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, I can say without question that she is more beautiful to me than ever. (And she was stunning in high school.) [Chery: please stop reading.] So are most other women.

Women who are stunning when young are still stunning when they’re old, and women who are plain when they’re young are beautiful when they’re old. They don’t have to work at it, though most of them do.

Of course my wife, the aforementioned Chery, is the most beautiful of all of them. Always will be. Lucky me.”

Bill Kasdorf
Ann Arbor, Michigan

. . . . . . . .

Thank you, Mr. Kasdorf, you are a plain-spoken man who is probably also a very happy one. Though I still enjoy gilding the lily, I try to look at my aging self with loving eyes, like Bill here. Wishing the same for all of you.

Huge thanks to Sally of Already Pretty, an inspiring woman and blogger, for featuring Not Dead Yet Style in her post yesterday. Sally is a star in the blogging cosmos!

A wonderful book of photos celebrating women over 60.
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patti

17 Comments

  1. oh how refreshing!  I am 40 now and feel like I'm much older than most of the fashion bloggers I see, and aging is (I have to admit) an adjustment!  It seems like yesterday sometimes that I was just turning 20, but then in other ways it seems very much like that was another life.  I still relate to being fashionable, whimsical, silly, spontaneous, etc., so I don't think I'll ever stop acting like a kid, even if my kid looks are leaving 🙂  Thanks for sharing – what a special husband this man is..he has a very lucky wife!
    xx
    Tracy @ The Wardrobe Wanderer

  2. My Mom is over 70. Dad often told us, their children, of how beautiful she was when they met in college, and that she is like an antique, as she grows older, she grows more valuable! To us of course, there are many beautiful, hot moms out there, but she is the most beautiful of all!

    VIsit me:
    LeeAnne, Style N Season
    http://stylenseason.blogspot.com

  3. It's true what he says, faces only become more beautiful with age, and hands more interesting. Age is just another dimension added to a person. Could we spread the word to the fashion world?

  4. I just saw your blog got a shout out on he Huffington Post….and in he likes of other great company!!!  I send you huge congrats my dear!!!

  5. Awww…..I'm not sure why my husband signed someone else's name to that….just kidding.   That was really beautiful.

  6. I adore this book. As you compare the women's faces, you can tell who has lived with joy and peace in their hearts.  My favorite is the first woman inside who makes her own hats!!! Such a beautiful expression on her face.

  7. That is such a moving letter! I'm glad you spotted it. I also just read the conversation over at Already Pretty, inspired by your piece there about Visible Monday and its origins. Great reading! There are some very valuable viewpoints that I had never considered before – shame on me.

  8. when i was very young a painter (an unknown) who took a portrait of me told me: young women may be good looking, graceful and handsome but true beauty reveals only in old age. then i did not understand what he meant but now. the letter is so wonderful, thank you for sharing!

  9. oh, how sweet!!! I am reminded of the looks Mr. Everett (90+) gave to Miss Paige (90+) at the festival–like she was the most stunning creature he had ever laid eyes on!

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