My mini midlife crisis

So shortly after my long run on Saturday, I had kind of a gross womanly thing happen to me. I'll spare you the details but I'll admit it got me a little panicked--enough, at least, to go in and see the doctor today.

"Nothing to worry about," she said. "Just keep an eye out and see if it happens again; but I wouldn't fret too much. These things happen. Especially at our age."

I was relieved for, oh, about a split second until she said "especially at our age."

"Our age?" I asked.

"Yeah," she said. "That's what happens."

I was stuck on the "our age" phrase, wondering when the hell I had been inducted into the "our age" stage of life, and miffed I hadn't been cordially invited. Or contacted. Don't I at least get a free ice cream sundae or something?

I've gone through my life always being the baby of the family; the younger sister/cousin/friend/co-worker. Women with these huge age hangups would chide, "When you get to be my age..." and I literally had a woman boss tell me I couldn't present a pitch to the Washington Metro Transit Authority because "they wouldn't believe anything coming from someone your age"!

I grew to resent being the youngest--never getting to go to the City to see a concert because I was too young; never getting to go out drinking with some college age friends until I became of age, by which time they were pretty much over drinking. And as I grew older, I realized that it was out of jealousy that I got teased. Sure I was younger--but that was an advantage. You can't get any younger.

But now that I've reached the plateau and am looking over the hill, I miss being the younger one. My telltale gray hairs prove that I'm no spring chicken anymore and my womanly parts tend to malfunction at the wrong times now; and every time I step into my client's agency, the women look much, much younger (was Melrose Place really on 14 years ago?) But I don't begrudge younger women their youth and wouldn't trade where I am in life with anyone, at any age. Still, I wondered why, since my doctor is at least 10 years older than I am, she lumped me into the "our age" category.

It wasn't until I was checking out of the office when I realized her mistake on the diagnosis sheet. Instead of the "Age 30-39", the "Age 40-49" choice had been circled.

Thank goodness, but I think she needs to switch to bifocals!