By LIZ MARCHI
Sunday was my 61st birthday. The great thing about a January birthday is that you spend the entire month thinking about the New Year, goals, planning and “getting ready.”
This past weekend I tackled my closet in a serious way. I was voted Best Dressed in my high school class; my Mom at 83 is still a “very well dressed southern lady.” I have been in Montana for 15 years and it’s time for me to own my new style.
Dontating these to charity suits me fine.
I took a huge bag of skirts and blouses to the thrift shop yesterday, today it’s SUITS. Do I really still have 25 suits in my closet? They are SOOOOO boring, pinstripes, navy blue, black, black, black. Fourteen as of them are out today. As they piled up on the floor, it struck me that I worked in a suit to fit in with the men.
Thank God we have come to the point when a woman can look like a woman in the workplace. Suits are heavy, confining and not really that comfortable. What a lift to know that the likelihood if my ever working in corporate America is pretty thin. It’s even more exciting to know that the SUIT won’t matter even if I do.
Other than increasing the air space in my closet, the best thing about Sunday was hearing from my wonderful daughters. I love that they not only speak to me, but that we are truly friends with a love so profound for having shared some rough roads in this life together.
My girls
I think we all have a season in life that we are most suited for. Babies for me were not easy. I love this time of ageing. The challenge of self-care, editing, and life is no longer a quest for things but of meaningful time. The greatest gift for me is seeing my children all on paths of discovery. They are all working hard, learning, striving and they are all good people.
I am off to bag up this bounty of suits. I am so grateful too that I have lived in this time of digital discovery. What a fun birthday to be in Face Time with my daughter in Grenada, texting with my daughter in DC, on the phone with my daughters in Bozeman and Polson and on Facebook with friends all around the world.
One year ago today I was enjoying a magical birthday evening with Jon and my dear friends Diane Smith and David Pickerel in Began, Myanmar. Somehow Jon found a 5 star Italian restaurant there, the Library. We had a magical dinner and were serenaded by local musicians and enjoyed a delicious birthday cake.
The years pass quickly; I intend to make each year the best by being grateful for everyday. Pretty sure I am not done making waves!
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Liz Marchi lives on a ranch in Polson, Montana with her husband Jon. She is the Fund Coordinator for the Frontier Angel Fund and spends a lot of time thinking and learning about entrepreneurs, the economy and Montana’s unique place in the world. She has three daughters and a stepson and daughter and a grandchild. She graduated from Hollins College and is entering the final quarter of life…unless we go into overtime.