Wait till all of you are MY age - when you become invisible or irrelevant to many. (I'm 65) I type that number and STILL am in shock because I feel...yes, 35.

But wiser. So much wiser. What I enjoy about Medium is that many of the writers I've encountered see me not thru my photo/my old lady-ness but thru my words. Such a blessing.

I feel for your husband's grandmother. Been there. It's not fun. However, when I'm the oldest in the room, I try to embrace it. To meet others as fellow human beings rather than beings of a younger age.

If I 'discriminate' against them for their youth, how can I bitch if they do the same re me and my age?

I remember the first time I heard "ma'am." I was at the gym, working out. In my late 40s. I kept hearing "ma'am, ma'am..."

Finally I turned. A young man had some question for me. I've forgotten now. But he was addressing ME. ME!

OMG. I laugh now but at the time it rattled me

My dream is that our culture wouldn't so worship youth...encouraging women to color their grey, botox their foreheads or more/worse (depending on your point of view) Oh, to have wisdom, experience be valued. Venerated. Seen as Beautiful.

But that's pretty much out of my control.

That said, I do dream of founding a militant movement called WOW, and Proud Of It. WOW for Wise Old Woman.

(Totally stolen from a writer here on Medium. I've got to remember to mark down her name, next time I see it. )