Simply defined as: ‘feelings of unhappiness and anxiety that some people experience often when they are between 40 and 50 years old’. Urban dictionary.com adds an element of psychology, but ignores the age criteria (and a sense of correct usage of English): ‘When a person regrets how they have lived his or her life, and they attempt to ‘correct’ their mental issue in a variety of ways which usually always harms themselves or those closest to them.’ Wikipedia picks up both on the age element as well as the psychological aspects and develops them further: ‘a transition of identity and self-confidence that can occur in middle-aged individuals, typically 45–64 years old. The phenomenon is described as a psychological crisis brought about by events that highlight a person’s growing age, inevitable mortality, and possibly shortcomings of accomplishments in life. This may produce feelings of depression, remorse, and anxiety, or the desire to achieve youthfulness or make drastic changes to their current lifestyle.’
I’m sure I am not the only person who wonders which of the things they do might be perceived as a mid-life crisis. I feel I have avoided some of the obvious ones: I had an MG in my 20s, so don’t need one now; I have not joined a gym to work towards a ‘sculpted’ body. I do have quite a long list though, which I think might fall into this category…..giving up my job, moving to the country, joining a whisky drinking society, being determinedly sociable (rather than the pro solitude person I was before we moved), starting dancing lessons, learning the guitar, entering a marathon, and I am in the relevant age category….is my list evidence of ‘engagement’ or am I just kidding myself?
Of the above, I am most enjoying preparing to run a marathon. Prompted by child #3, who has said she’ll run it with me, we have chosen a course which is downhill to start, then flat – sounds ideal! I have given myself plenty of time to train for it – let’s face it, I do have the time- and have started building up slowly. What I enjoy most is the mental battle, convincing myself that I can go on for a further kilometre, that I can run the next kilometre faster than the previous one, or just that I should get out of bed and run even though I don’t feel like it. I run with music, an eclectic range of styles and artists. I also use a running App, which tells me how far I have run, my average pace and logs the history of all my runs. Best of all, running legitimises any aches and pains I might have…
Running is a hobby with which I am increasingly obsessed.. ask the partners of any runners and they will have tales of how running has impacted on their relationship….So, on reflection-and I have had plenty of time to reflect whilst meandering along country lanes-, I don’t feel that giving up my job and moving to the country are midlife crisis moments. They have facilitated new adventures and new experiences, a different way of being and doing- and have given me ample time to run… I can thoroughly recommend it….. I’m off to battle with the three meter wide tractors that fill the otherwise quiet roads, dead badgers which line the ditches and see if I can run faster than the caterpillars that run on the roads at this time of year!
Eating: We recently had friends over for lunch, so I thought I’d try a tarte à l’oignon. I based this on the Guardian series of ‘how to make the perfect…’ and then tweaked it slightly. I served it with lardon sprinkles for the meat eaters. The slowly cooked kilo of onions make this an absolute delight!
Drinking: Keeping to the French theme, we paired the tarte à l’oignon with a bone dry cider, served nice and cold- complemented the sweetness of the tart.
Listening to: BADBADNOTGOOD, a Canadian band from Toronto. Child #2, knowing I like prefer something relatively chilled to listen to when cooking, put me on to them. Currently listening to the album IV. Favourite tracks ‘Speaking Gently‘ and ‘Chompy’s Paradise‘.
Cook.Eat.Blog.Repeat. 