Let Yourself Mellow

Today I learn about mellowing as I age. To mellow means to soften, and it comes from late Middle English (16th Century) origins denoting a soft, ripe, sweet fruit. Mellowing means to lose harshness and bitterness. It refers to relaxed, easy-going, and low-maintenance living.

Older women in my life talk about how they "mellowed" in their forties and fifties. They ripened into a slower pace and a less frenetic schedule. They forgive easily, release bitterness, and avoid drama. Most importantly, they find themselves needing less and less to prove themselves to others, to seek importance from achievement, and to explain themselves to other people.

I like getting older. I really, really do.