Maria wanted to participate in the Extraordinary: the Over 50 Revolution to celebrate turning 78 years old. She said, “As a breast cancer survivor, this year I was blessed to have celebrated another birthday; 78 years on this earth.”
“There is always a lot to be thankful for if we take time to look for it. For example, I am thinking how nice it is that my wrinkles do not hurt, or that I can get out of bed without falling on my face. Seriously, I have been in remission from cancer for 19 years. I traveled the world (40 countries) at age 51; received my higher academic degree at 58; became a grandmother at 60; retired from a medical job that I enjoyed at 72; found love again (after being a widow for 13 years), at 74; married a wonderful man at 76. Yes, I truly believe that a woman can still accomplish much after the age of 50. As women, we should congratulate ourselves! Every one of us have accomplishments: we should celebrate them and use them as inspiration for new ones.”
“Sometimes, we use age as a convenient excuse such as, I am too old to start something new, or, I cannot learn that at my age. Others, though, go on to achieve their greatest accomplishments in life in later years. We should embrace change. Life is change. Resisting it wastes precious time and energy. Living for it can create adventures you never thought possible.”
“As women, we do not like to think about aging. We falsely believe that as we age our beauty is going to diminish, yet nothing could be further from the truth. It is important to remember that life is not about your age, life is about living, loving, pursuing our dreams, and helping others by mentoring with the experiences we have acquired over the years.”
When asked how she has changed since she turned 50, Maria said, “Getting older meant that I was free of the burdens and responsibilities of my youth. Aging brought with it experience, self-confidence, and often the ability to make better decisions and choices. Moreover, as I got older, I developed a greater emotional stability and often achieve a more positive overall well-being. I always knew I would get old. How fast it would happen was a bit of a surprise though. But I must say that I love my age; old enough to know better; young enough not to care; experienced enough to do it right.”
Growing up, Maria’s greatest role model was her mother, Corina Hernandez. She was born in the USA, first generation of Mexican descent. My mother (mama), did not have a formal education, spoke broken English, and taught herself how to read, and do basic math. As Spanish was my mother’s first language, she struggled with vocabulary. She was held back in kindergarten because her Spanish accent was heavy and she had problems with pronunciations. Holding non-English speaking students back was a common practice in many schools in southwestern states, and unfortunately still occurs today, albeit much less frequently. My mother was a strong and a kind woman who did not allow obstacles to stand in her way. She taught me that as a Latina woman, it does not matter where you come from, what your race, creed, or upbringing is. Believe in yourself and take every opportunity that is given to you. As my mother used to say, ‘Find those opportunities and take those opportunities and doors will open. Si Se Puede,’ or in English, ‘You can do it!'”
Maria is always learning. She said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. Be who you are, not what people want you to be. Love yourselves, take care of your health, love your body no matter what shape you think it should be. Remember that life is not about your age or looks, life is about living. Therefore, when your birthdays come around, be thankful for the year that has just passed and embrace with a happy heart what opportunities the coming year will bring you.”
Maria’s husband, John, joined her for part of her portrait session.
When asked what effect she would like to have on the world, Maria said, “I am a realist, however, my idealistic effect would be to enable my friends, family, and of course, the rest of the world to achieve
their dreams. To go beyond their fears and do things that they want. To pursue their dreams and be given the opportunity to succeed. To have someone believe in them. Lastly, to promote peace among the countries of the world and create a more harmonious society. I would also uphold the idea that human life is invaluable and mutual respect and understanding are rights that every person no matter who they are should enjoy.”
We listened to the Motown classic, “I Just Want to Celebrate” by Rare Earth for this part – can you tell? It was so much fun!
“Maundy is a fantastic photographer! She really is amazing. I liked the way she made me bring out the ‘me’ [and made] me feel comfortable in the poses for a 78-year, young-at-heart woman. I highly recommend her for your photos.”
Maria
Join the Over 50 Revolution this Fall!
Book your portrait experience in 2023 – sessions are still available this fall. If you are a woman over the age of fifty, “the Over 50 Revolution” is for you. It’s for everyone who loves you and for other women of all ages, to show them that they are worthy, too. I hope you’ll join me in this luxurious and empowering experience. You can find out more HERE