The Change

They say it happens to all of us sooner or later. It's just that you can never quite believe it will really happen to you.

You try to ignore the early signs. The disconcerting weight gain that means old favourites no longer fit and old styles no longer suit. The loss of interest in cherished pastimes; the hours of wakefulness while the household sleeps.

Then come the secret stashes of comfort food, exhausted afternoons behind closed curtains. There's the apathy, the anger, the addiction to soaps in the need for escapism.

What keeps you going are the highs. The sudden flaming enthusiasms, companionable shopping trips, heart-to-hearts in the bedroom and, always underlying, that intoxicating sense of possibility.

The change of life is a frightening thing. It requires total adjustment of everything you took for granted. You have to rethink the way you communicate, the way you think, where and when and how you go. You know the future depends on how you cope with it. It's a balancing act between holding out and letting go, speaking or silence, cosseting or independence.

What they don't so often tell you is that, in its vividness and unpredictability, it's glorious. And today it happened to me.  For the first time, I have become the mother of a teenager!

Happy birthday to my no-longer-little girl.




Comments

  1. Sarah25 September 2015 at 12:34

    Gosh, what a stunning photo! (Miss Mac would approve of the eyebrows!). I hit that moment just over 3 years ago and now have a daughter who recently started her A'levels at college. To counteract the inevitable fact that this means I'm getting older I have spent the morning ripping a very small skirt to bits to wear (along with lots of makeup, ripped tights and my New Rock boots) to see Public Image Ltd tonight. I'm hoping the average age of the rest of their fan base will make me appear a mere youngster! A very Happy Birthday to your beautiful girl!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Adventures of a Middle-aged Matron26 September 2015 at 08:48

      Thank you! I had no idea you were the mother of a teen. I put you down as young and wild and carefree.

      Delete
  2. Rachel Selby27 September 2015 at 12:01

    Lovely post. Right up until the end I thought you meant the other change and I was getting ready to sympathise whilst wondering when I was going to get those sudden bursts of enthusiasm and sense of possibility, LOL. I look forward to your kind of change though - only another 6 1/2 yeats to go.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Adventures of a Middle-aged Matron28 September 2015 at 09:27

      I certainly hope the other change is full of possibility - if only the thrill of HRT! You'll be the first to know the minute I feel it coming on!

      Delete
  3. Young at Heart30 September 2015 at 11:05

    Ha ....... there is little diference between adolescence and menopause.... aren't we lucky we get to do it twice!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Older Mum11 October 2015 at 10:25

    I thought you were talking about the other change too..... which I now find myself heading into..... mood swings (tick), anger (tick)..... and what a wonderful picture of your daughter - how beautiful! X


    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Adventures of a Middle-aged Matron13 October 2015 at 17:07

      Oh, I have mood swings and anger and always have since I began breeding. I put it down to a symptom of mothering!

      Delete
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    Hope that you are looking for some positive change.
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  7. Unknown14 February 2018 at 15:13

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  8. Unknown19 March 2018 at 07:58

    If you requires total adjustment of everything you took for granted.
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