Barbie Turns 70

No, not that Barbie...

I’m not one for birthday fanfare, and frankly, I can’t believe I’m sharing this photo or the fact that I turned 70 yesterday. I don’t know which is worse - the red dress (my least favorite color!) or the wild 1950s chair. Maybe the bangs? At any rate, there I am, in the early years of my life.

Yes, they called me Barbie! I finally got my family to stop at some point. Then they called me Barb. That was even worse and it took years for them to start calling me Barbara.

Decades later, when I moved to NYC, I met an Italian Barbara (much younger than me) who was affectionately called Barby with a y. Somehow, it seemed less offensive, and when they bestowed the same term of endearment onto me, I kind of liked it. So silly, I know.

I just wanted to do a quick check-in because I haven’t posted in a while. Not that you need anything more to read during this busiest month of the year. I can barely keep up with reading other Substacks myself.

I’m trying to practice peace and calm during this holiday/Vata season. So far, so good. I have literally been wandering in the woods daily for hours on end and my nervous system is loving it.

I’m writing in my head all day, but by the time I return from adventuring, my creative energy is spent. I have a handful of posts already started and begging for attention.

Even though I’m nurturing myself with Nature and participating very little in any holiday activities, I still feel the underlying frenzy swirling around in the ethers. I guess you could call it Holiday PTSD.

I’m wondering how all of you are doing, as well.

I love the shorter days and longer nights like the weirdo that I am. I think it’s because I was a December baby. I find it so much easier to experience magic and slip into what seems like other dimensions. The veil is thin.

But, I want snow! I chose New Hampshire partly because she gets real winters. The first birthday I spent here I was gifted with a N’oreaster. Right now, it’s almost 60 degrees, and we’re having torrential rains and Wizard of Oz-level wind. Flooding. I’m talking to the Trees, hoping that they can all withstand the raging weather. I am beyond blessed to have a generator because the power is out, hence I’m still able to write to you.

The white stripes were out in the skies the past few days, with a vengeance, so it’s no surprise this is happening. I hope I live to see the day when the weather modification stops and we can just let Mother Nature do her thing. Not that she can’t wreak havoc herself, but I’d much prefer knowing it was her doing. That’s a topic for another day.

The Winter Solstice is almost upon us, and while most people I know rejoice in the slow return of the light, I do not. I light candles at night (it’s dark here on the East Coast by 4:30) and I love going to bed early and sleeping long hours.

I couldn’t resonate more with what Asia Suler recently wrote":

The days leading up to the solstice are a kind of peak— a peak of darkness, a peak in the calendar year, and a peak of activity. 

And yet, as a sensitive and an empath, I’ve always loved this time of the year for its interiority—the call to sit at the heart of the mountain (rather than climb up a slope) and reconnect with the center of my own magic.

asiasuler.com

As for the number 70, it frankly seems a bit surreal. I’m not one to worry about age - I’m a happy and hopefully wise Crone now - but I’ve never been particularly drawn to the number 7. However, a quick internet search about the numerology of 70 was interesting.

The number 70 has wisdom gained through knowledge of self as its priority. There's an ongoing urge to accumulate wisdom. Both spiritual and analytical factors are applied to every new thing discovered about itself.

Imagine your introspection abilities let you be intuitively connected to ancient wisdom and know yourself in relation to that wisdom. —Affinity Numerology

One last thing.

I want to share a subscription offer with all of you. I’m eternally grateful to every single reader - free or paid - and am having a 20% off sale through the month of December for any type of paid subscription.

Just click this link if you’re interested.

Yesterday I had so many sweet messages from friends and family. A rare FaceTime with my sisters (I’m the baby in the family) was lots of fun. So, now it’s onto the 70s with no plans - just lots of living in the moment.

Carol, Barbie, Sue

Much Love,
Barbara

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