Member-only story
Why I love to Work After 60
Expect the Unexpected
I learned that dreams don’t have an ‘expiration’ date.
Many people feel trapped in a job they don’t like and are frustrated and stuck. This is worse: Imagine having the doors locked and no matter how much you kick and try until your face turns blue, they don’t open because you’ve crossed an invisible line. That was me after I turned a ‘certain age.’ At least, it was what I believed.
Then, at age 67 I was hired as a flight attendant for a major airline and all the excuses of ‘too late’ or ‘too old’ were no longer valid. I stayed long enough to see a lot of the world and meet some great people, but my favorite memory of the experience was at the reception held immediately after graduation from training: A woman about my age approached me and held out her hand. She was the mother of one of the other graduates and she said, “You opened the door, now I will walk through it.” I hope she did. I want to see more women believe their dreams do not expire.
Today, I tackle a new dream of becoming a professional model. When I see photos of models like Daphne Selfe, 88, or Lauren Hutton, 78, representing major brands, I feel inspired and I think, “I could do that.” It’s like the woman who believed she could do it after seeing me graduate as a flight attendant.
