Sechzig

2022-06-15

Ehe man sich versieht ist plötzlich wieder ein Jahr rum und ich bin ein Jahr älter. Sogar 10 Jahre älter. Das macht nichts. Schlimmer wäre es wenn ich das Alter nicht erleben würde. Also ist es ein guter Grund zum Feiern! Mit meiner Mutter und meiner Nichte, die drei Monate (!) hier waren, hatte ich besondere Gäste aus der alten Welt, die sich gut mit neuen und alten Freunden aus der neuen Heimat mixten.

Zur Begrüßung der Partygäste habe ich einen kleinen Rückblick auf die letzten Jahrzehnte gegeben, und wie ich in Australien gelandet bin:

Good evening everyone, welcome to a celebration with friends and thanks for coming to see an ‘older woman’.

There is nothing wrong with that, I’m actually quite looking forward to my next decade. Like it said on the invitation:

Older is like young.

Just better.

Doesn’t ‘decade’ sound grand? All of you here are somehow connected to one – or more – of my last six decades.

I had a happy childhood decade, mostly thanks to Mum here who always encouraged me to have fun and find adventures .

The teenage years were as they are supposed to be: dreadful. I was very unsure of the world in general and myself in particular. Probably the best thing that happened then was meeting my friend Lorena here.

My roaring Twenties were as good as they can be. Starting with my first trip to Australia where to my surprise people liked me and thought I was pretty and clever, boosting my self-confidence. Some of those people are still in my life and are here tonight! Hands up, guys!

The thirty-something decade again started in Australia. 30 was the only birthday I was ever worried about. When I was a kid I had a vision of my 30 year old future self with a husband and kids, a house with garden, neatly dressed in a pleaded skirt with a pearl necklace. Bar the pearl necklace, I stood there empty handed in what was nearly a midlife crisis. So I had a party instead, quite a few of you were there to tell the tale. Hands up who remembers?

Guess how my forties started? Right, in Australia. And with married life. After 10 years of “a long distance relationship is not gonna work” Ivan and I  jumped into the unknown and we tied the knot. Then the husband jumped into the unknown and followed me to Germany, where we established an international life together.

In my fifties, after hitting the so-called glass ceiling, hard and painful, my professional career took off. Head of Communications Europe for Deutsche Bank was the best and happiest job I had. Only topped at the end by the decision to take a package and retire in Australia.

In my sixties now I have finally achieved what I wanted 30 years ago: a house and garden, a loving husband, a beautiful step daughter and a dog. The pearl necklace is at home and this dress is the closest I’ll ever get to a pleaded skirt. 

The next 10 years will be the decade … of the dog. Yes, I live a dog’s life now. Skipper makes me get up early, going for lots of walks, and teaches an older woman new tricks.

I built a new life here. I met dog friends, sport friends, lovely neighbours. And here I am now, with old friends, new friends, and my family. Please, mix and mingle and get to know each other. Thanks for being here to help me celebrate my 60th birthday.

Older is like young.

Just better.