When I was growing up, my role models were people like Wonder Woman and Denise Huxtable from the Cosby Show. I wanted to be both of them at different times. Wonder Woman was so pretty and strong and smart. Her accessories had magic powers, and that part is still very appealing to me. I could totally go for a bracelet that dissipated traffic or made my children stop fighting. I’d love a tiara that could have dinner ready in ten minutes. But at some point I stopped believing that would happen. (side note: I’d love any tiara; it doesn’t have to make dinner.)
I also had to give up hoping for a chance to be the cool, laid back, hippie child of a loving, well-educated, and affluent black couple in New York. My family is just never going to put on a big musical number on the staircase for my grandparents’ wedding anniversary.
As an adult, I’ve gravitated toward more realistic role models. I aspire to be as put together as the room mommies at school. At 34, organization is more coveted than tall red leather boots and a golden lasso of truth. (Again, not saying I wouldn’t wear the tall red leather boots.) And, as fun as it seemed to be Denise Huxtable, with her constantly changing hairstyles and boyfriends, her love of a directionless life and all that, I don’t do well managing even one hairstyle.
And being a free-spirit is harder to get by with after college. People expect you to pick up your children EXACTLY when school ends, not when you’re done counting the little blue flowers in the meadow where you’re soaking up sunshine. So, women who aren’t as easily distracted as me become super heroes in my mind too.
I don’t just have role models for myself either. I have couple role models for me and my husband. Couples that are older than us and still cool. The ones that continue to update their wardrobes and haven’t retired their sense of humor.
There’s one couple, in particular, that goes to our church, that I want us be. I’d admired them from a distance for awhile, and then I got to know them better and realized they were every bit as cool as I thought they were and then some. They’re witty and attractive, they’re kind and intelligent, they’re active and involved. A few months ago, I leaned over and whispered in my husband’s ear, “I wanna be them when we grow up.” He nodded his consent. He didn’t verbally answer because we really shouldn’t be talking while the teacher is during Sunday school class. That was just my Denise Huxtable coming out.
Now, let me just say that I’m not trying to imply that they’re way older than us. I have no clue how old they are. I just know that their children are grown so they must have some years on us. The point is that whatever their age, I want us to be them at their stage in life. We’re not them now, so we’ve got some work to do.
But the reason I brought all of this up (not that I need a reason for bringing things up), is that I got on here to check my blog and they are official followers! They’re kind of like rock stars in my mind, so I was/am very excited about that! Mrs. It Couple has spoken to me about my blog a couple times recently and let me know she’s enjoying it. It’s one of the reasons I know she has great taste.
I also really appreciate them taking the time to become “followers”. Not everyone does. Clearly. I could name names, but I won’t. I don’t mind entertaining you on the down low. Though, I can assure my readers who haven’t signed on that there’s no credit check and the blood sample you have to give is virtually painless.
