Aging Triumphantly: This 46-Year-Old Talks About Overcoming A Difficult Childhood And Learning To Love Herself

Christine, 46

When Christine first e-mailed her photos, in response to my invitation to mature women to send me a picture of themselves and tell me about accepting their imperfections, she didn’t say a lot about herself. So I a asked her to tell me a little bit more about who she was and what she knew now, at 46, that she didn’t know at 26. The result is below, proof that you can’t ever really know about someone from looking just at her beautiful outsides. Her story of personal transformation in the face of, frankly, lousy odds, is remarkable and inspiring.

The reason I have lots of issues with my body and the way I look is due to a mother who adored my younger, very blonde, blue-eyed sister. My mother always told me I had a big butt and it would be a problem area. I still stress about the size of my ass on occasion. I was told that because I was a brunette I needed to be careful with my boyfriends around my sister because they would all want her and not the tall, dark, skinny one. I figured out in college being tall and dark among a sea of small blondes was awesome.

So I look at myself and figure, not so bad for 46. I plan on being fantastic at 56 and 66 — bring it on! I wouldn’t want to be 26 again. I had a very painful childhood, complete with a crazy mother sending me to a children’s shelter, a group home, and a foster home. I made it out, I’ve had a great career, a good family, and an amazing daughter. I was terrified to have children, but my husband convinced me after eight years of marriage it might be okay. I’m blessed with awesome in-laws; I didn’t have a father, but my father-in-law is one of the best people I’ve ever known and a true father to me.

I’ve learned a lot in my life and just try to relax and do my best. I keep myself in shape and try to be grateful for the body that gave me my wonderful daughter!