Midlife Stories: MelAnn Morales
One of my most favorite forms of story is not a story I write or just live in a passive voice. But the story I live out loud.
“The most inspiring stories of those who truly suck the marrow out of life.”
The most inspiring stories of those who truly suck the marrow out of life.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. However, I did not wish to live what was not life, living is so dear; nor did I wish to practice resignation, unless it was quite necessary. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, to live so sturdily and Spartan-like as to put to rout all that was not life, to cut a broad swath and shave close, to drive life into a corner, and reduce it to its lowest terms.” Henry David Thoreau, Walden
Manifestos:
So many brands, including my own, have manifestos. Manifestos are awesome pieces of company culture because they invoke emotion and create imagery in such a way that the reader is moved to action. The reader finds herself in that manifesto story. One of my favorite examples of this is Apple’s We Are the Crazy Ones which was part of Steve Jobs Think Different ad series. It communicates both a call to arms for the company as well as a call to arms for its customers.
I also see a manifesto as an accountability piece. It’s a promise on what the organization behind it intends to deliver in an easy to understand language. The customer knows what to expect as a result. It’s a bold statement. If Apple had fallen short on its promise to Think Different!, do you think it would have such a large fanbase that would stand hours in line and dish out hundreds of dollars for the newest, latest new phone on the day of release?
Our Own Midlife Manifesto:
In midlife, we have the opportunity to claim and live out our own midlife story! We get to be our own menopause misfits that turn the midlife story for women upside down. We don’t accept the status quo. In addition, we don’t believe that we have to gracefully stand by as menopause comes along and declares war on our bodies, our minds, our lives.
“Believe that age is just a number and we have the power to say how we age.”
We declare that we have a say. We believe in biohacking. And we believe women are the best when it comes to taking lemons and making lemonade. We take what we are given and multiply it and present the best possible story in the process.
When we write our midlife story, we include declarations that fly in the face of the status quo. We live out a story that states it’s not okay to lie down and just accept that we will be ravaged and nothing can be done about it. Many of us start new businesses. We believe that age is just a number and we have the power to say how we age. Our time is now to live the story we have always longed to live.
Life is a Sermon:
In my work, I often encounter clients who are dealing with end of life; their own life or the lives of loved ones. I am often hired to help tell those stories and in one way or another as part of the celebration of life service. I’ve lost many loved ones and friends in the last three years. In the years following my brother’s death, I understood the importance of being present for my friends and family during the rituals of the grief journey.
As a result, the one thing I feel strongly about as a result, is that I do not want a preacher preaching sermons at my celebration of life service. I want to live my life as a sermon. As the stories from life are shared and celebrated, I would hope that the sermon is reflected or implied. Therefore, a sermon at that point would be completely unnecessary. If a sermon at my funeral is necessary, then I have failed in the way I lived my life somewhere along the way.
Live Your Midlife Manifesto:
My deepest desire is to, as Thoreau so aptly expressed, live deeply. in conclusion, I want my life to be a manifesto that leaves zero doubt about who I am and what I embrace in my belief systems and passions.
What is your midlife manifesto? How do you complete these statements: I am… I believe… Moreover, I love…. I hate… ?
Write your own midlife manifesto. Better yet, live it!
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About the Author:
MelAnn is the creative behind Life Souvenirs. She is a wife, mom, and passionate lifelong storyteller who has been writing poetry and short stories since she was old enough to write words that form a complete thought.
While every cell in her being longs for mountains, rivers, trees and fresh air, MelAnn resides in the Texas Panhandle with nothing on the horizon but tumbleweeds and beautiful sunsets. She discovered in midlife there is nothing more important than our stories. Stories are life’s souvenirs.
