Forty Five and Full of Drive

We are back in Washington State, returned from Washington, DC! To most non-Americans it probably sounds like it's not a biggie - wouldn't these two Washingtons be close to one another? In fact, everybody knows about Washington the capital of the US, but not as many know about Washington the state. But to those who know, it's obvious just how different these two Washingtons are - different in nature, climate, history, subculture, spirit, vibe, style and definitely very different location, as the capital city of the US almost could not be further from our state. We are 2,763 miles or 4.446 km apart, which is more than the distance between my Russian hometown Krasnoyarsk and the capital of Russia, Moscow (4,150 km)! And would you believe that before our trip I did not know that? I honestly thought that it would take three or four hours by plane to get there!

But all in its own time. My last story I posted literally minutes before we headed to the airport, and now we are back home, in our beautiful Washington State, while the very different, though equally beautiful Washington DC seems but a distant dream... I have pictures and impressions to sort out before I am ready to tell you about our adventures in DC. For goodness sake, my ears still haven't popped from the last plane, but we are full in action here, having came back just in time for both my birthday and our 10th wedding anniversary, which is also the anniversary of our relocating to Washington State from the Midwest, 11 years ago (seems like another lifetime).

OUTFIT DETAILS:

clutch - secondhand, via antique mall

shoes - Clarks (2017)

sunglasses - Christian Siriano for Lane Bryant (2016)

earrings - Rara Avis by Iris Apfel (2017)

necklace - by my friend, amazing artist and sculptor Elsbeth McLeod (her WEBSITE and BLOG)

There is certainly a little bit of attitude in this outfit, thanks to the color scheme and of course the details I chose for my b-day celebration. I don't know why I decided on this particular one, it just felt right - the creative process is a mystery. I felt both beautiful and strong in this ensemble, and I have absolutely no reason to hide that I turned 45! Some people say, age is just a number, and there is some truth to it, but only partially. It's not "just" a number - it's a number that marks a particular point in our life journey, and I believe that some such numbers have a symbolic personal and even mystical significance. 

 When my Mom turned 45, she became a grandmother for the first time, retired from being a school teacher for 30 years, and found a new career as a train attendant for the next decade. I'm pretty sure that all these huge life changes, as well as the extensive travel, stimulated her long-lost passion for creative writing. In her travels, she started writing poetry and a few years later started historical research and wrote a history of the Siberian village where she was born. (The significance of Mom's dedicated work is already recognized by historical organizations, and it was published in newspapers and historic websites in the Krasnoyarsk region. Here is the site which I created for my Mom's historical work - ANGARA. TATARKA). 

Praskovya Shadrina (nee Nikiforova), my grandmother, with her children: 

Nadia (left), my mom; Nikolai, Elena and baby Vera. There is no Nina in this photo (the oldest daughter), 

the youngest twins Rimma and Raisa aren't born yet. 1954. 

On the other hand, at the exact same age of 45, my Mom's mother passed away, leaving seven children orphans. Mom was 19, the second oldest child in the family, and she took the responsibility to raise her younger siblings - the youngest, twins, were only 7 y.o. then. Neither me, nor my older brother had a chance to meet our maternal grandmother. I only know her from Mom's stories and a few old photographs - she seemed ancient to me, and only now I realize that she was still a young woman! Her life was hard, short and tragic, and by the end of it she probably not only looked ancient, but also felt ancient. I bet 45 didn't feel like "just a number" to the women in my family. And it doesn't feel like it to me either. 

When I hear phrases like "Nobody likes aging" - I beg to differ. Yes, there are aspects of getting older that sometimes bother us, but isn't it true about any age? (Remember those pimples that used to bother you when you were a teen? Or the stress and competitiveness of the youth when everyone looked at what everyone else was doing?) Maybe it would be more accurate to say that many don't like getting older, and some even try to actively stop the process of aging. While I don't judge anyone for their personal choices, I can honestly say that I'm a bit unusual that way because I actually love aging! I enjoy seeing my hair starting to gradually change its color - just as leaves turn different shades in Autumn. I feel strongly that I like the person who I've became by the age of 45 - and I also feel strongly that at 45, you can actually see who you've become. Which does not mean that we stop at 45 or at any age, of course! If we choose to see aging in a positive way, we realize that there is always room for growth and change, always, until our very last day here on planet Earth. And in that sense, yes, age really is only a number!

I spent a quiet day with my most loved ones running a few errands, having sushi for lunch and taking outfit and family pictures on this serene nature trail in Renton. When I was putting together my outfit, I said to my 15 year old daughter, "I look pretty good! You know, I always want to be beautiful. And I don't want to "stay young" - I actually want to see myself getting older naturally, but at the same time always be beautiful, in my 40s, in my 70s..." And you know what she replied? "Beauty is not a factor of age. The only thing that matters is self-acceptance." Isn't she wise? Where she gets it from, I wonder?

Skirt - WhoWhatWear for Target

Linen shirt - vintage Ralph Lauren 

(also in SEPTEMBER 2015 and APRIL 2015)

Linking with Visible Monday at Patti's

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