I'm not getting older...

...I'm getting better. And I will never let anyone trash my self esteem again. I almost did it but I caught myself. They say that life begins at 40...well, for me, it's 47. I'm an educated, accomplished and talented lady. I will never settle for someone who doesn't appreciate that and certainly not anyone who can't even SEE it!

Before I ever BEG for respect or attention, I'll just be on my way, singing in the sunshine alone if need be. Too many women feel as though they aren't worthy of a decent, kind man and I am not about to let myself get involved with someone who has to "think about" whether or not I'm worthy of a relationship. I know I am, my friends know I am, and even a few men who I've met recently know that I am. Sadly, I was the hardest one of them all to convince of that.

I have accomplished more as a single woman than I ever did while trying to make a man happy. Rather, I will find a man who is already happy, one who doesn't give a hoot about what the world thinks, one who is man enough to say, "Let's have a wonderful life together and let's start right now!" There are men out there and I don't mean a male over 18, I mean a male who has the courage to let himself live the life that he deserves. Some males grow old never, ever being man enough to go for the gold ring, never being man enough to say to other people, "I know what I'm doing and you can keep your opinions to yourself."

Too many men, and women, worry about what everyone else in the world thinks when the rest of the world has their own lives and has nothing to offer but their own ignorant opinions. They tell a person, "Oh, you shouldn't do that!" Then they go back to their own pitiful lives and the fool who listened to them goes on, alone, and in fear of grabbing at the happiness that they could have if only they would trust in themselves and take a chance. Life is a gamble, we know that. But the highest ante gives the greatest pay off. Some things may seem like a risk, but there are no sure things in life. Waiting for one will lead you to a miserable, lonely life. That may be good enough for some, but not for me.

I'm woman enough to take a chance at happiness if the chance is there and I NEVER ask anyone else's opinion, I never let anyone else tell me what I should do, especially when they have no clue of what they speak. It's a shame when a person grows up without the balls to live their own lives and it's a damn shame when they realize that life and happiness has past them by when all they ever needed to do was stop, look around and take a "leap of faith".

What's even worse is when the person is so incredibly selfish that they don't honor committments, don't know the truth when it bites them in the foot and don't have the brains to consider that life is a dynamic process and most people learn from it. Living in a self imposed bubble leads to a lonely, miserable existence. The happiness that comes from living an honorable life will elude them forever and when they are old and alone, the people who they listened to will not be there, they'll be living their own lives.

Life gives you back what you put into it. Remember the line from the song, "It's the heart afraid of living that never learns to love."? An empty, selfish, cowardly heart is not worth sharing. Especially with a person who is vibrant, beautiful inside and out, and full of love to give. If you are brave enough to take a chance on happiness and make your own decisions, don't ever let yourself down by hooking up with a coward who needs to "think about" whether you are worth a chance, you are! And so am I.