What would drive a 50 year man to walk away from his wife of 25 years and run in into the arms of a younger woman who is in the same age range as his daughter?
The same question is asked of the woman who leaves the matrimonial home after 20 years to live with a young man who could call her mama as he is half her age.
Such is the scenario that obtains today as both middle aged men and women struggle with the reality of the changes in their bodies and minds. For some they wish they could bypass this stage and remain forever young. The mature man who takes refuge in the arms of a young woman is only fooling himself as he fails to accept the fact that he is not as virile as he use to be and that the young thing only provides a sense of false security.
Jim Conway writes, “Escaping the midlife development crisis is probably as likely as the child escaping adolescence” The truth is that there are some things in life that must happen, aging is one of them.
What is this dreaded life stage that some men and women fear like a disease? Some women in particular spend a lot of money on age defying body lotions and facial creams. They cover the greys as soon as they rear their ugly heads. The affluent ladies would do face lifts and the belly tucks. Some men engage in extramarital affairs in a desperate bid to boost their deflated ego.
Midlife crisis is described as a period that is characterized with self doubt as the individual deals with the passing of youth and the unwelcome arrival of old age. Some suffer from a bout of depression and turn to alcohol and or promiscuity. Marriages and family lives are broken as these old or should I say mature men and women live in a state of denial as they strive desperately to wrestle with Father Time or Mother Nature.
Ladies and Gentlemen I implore you to wake up and smell the coffee, accept the reality of the challenges and not make them a crisis that drives you to behave irresponsibly. Walking away from your wife/husband is a stop gap that will only provide a temporary fix but the deep-seated issues of life changes are not addressed. Embrace the period and do your best to age gracefully. Eat right, exercise and serve God and truly enjoy life to the fullest. Do everything in moderation and remember that the youthful exuberant moments spent in earlier years are now history and can never be regained.
About the writer:
Wayne A. Powell is a Relationship Counsellor. He operates and Online counselling website which provides a convenient way for both client and therapist to engage with each other from home or office at a time that is expedient to them.You can email him at: [email protected]
