Thank you Kelsie! If you have the time to watch, this video of Isabella is really charming. She makes me hope even more that I can live to my 90s while continuing to be lively and creative! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsAdU6iBDts
Yes I've read through everything and I'm so impressed. I'll definitely head to her palazzo in Rome, it's open to the public, in the meantime the video will have to do.
What a great find! I can't wait to read the whole thing. This line struck me: “I think life, for women, begins at sixty,” she told me. “Because then we begin to be free.” — I like to listen to the Wiser than Me podcast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and I noticed many of the older women say 50 when Julia asks them what age they feel they are inside. Seems to be an interesting time of life for women!
Ooh, I saved a few of her podcast episodes a few months ago to listen on a plane (it's weirdly the only place where I can concentrate on podcasts). I still haven't gotten to the, but I really need to listen now! Thank you!
Still riding the high of reading Miranda July's All Fours, and one of my favorite parts were the protagonist's sexual encounter with an older woman. I have not looked at older women the same way since, now I am constantly wondering about what fun they are having that is not yet available to us, younger women. As a 43 working mom to a 7 year old, I feel markedly un-free right now. The Ducrot profile is amazing for similar reasons. What a gift to read that and be shown a different way. I will definitely watch the YouTube video you shared in the comments and with the risk of sounding like Amazon.com - if you like this profile, you would most definitely want to read Lauren Elkin's new novel, "Scaffolding"
Your comment is the awesome! "I am constantly wondering about what fun they are having that is not yet available to us, younger women." We can only look forward to the goodness!
I really hope you can find ways to feel less un-free. Is writing helping? I'm finally taking the leap to try to have kids in the near future (something I've been pretty uninterested in my entire life until I met my now-husband) and am mostly worried about losing the immense freedoms I have right now. Reading her words made me feel less doom and confirmed that there are thousands of different ways to live a life.
Scaffolding is officially on my list, thank you so much!
YES. Writing totally helps. As does reading, thinking, and cultivating really meaningful friendships with other women.
I was an older mother for the same reasons you mention above. I didn't get pregnant until I was 37 because I was so worried about everything that motherhood would take away from me. Now looking back from the other side I understand that in many ways, the sacrifice of self is even bigger than I imagined but the positive personal transformation I have experienced is beyond belief - the expansive love, the profound sense of compassion that I feel, the intensity of emotion and connection to women and humanity... I just didn't know that any of that was coming. And all of it has made my inner life and professional ambition deeper and more satisfying, not less.
(Absolutely no proselytizing, though. There are so many ways to be in the world) 🤓📚🥰
I've been letting this comment seep into me for the past few days. It is really wonderful in more ways than I can express!
Everything you wrote makes it clear that becoming a mom has been a powerful experience for you. Everyone says it is, but you articulated it better than I've ever heard to date. And, your explanation is making me feel tremendous comfort! Thank you.
It's also been helpful for me personally to see my close friends start to have children. I didn't really have close-to-me examples until recently of women having children AND keeping "themselves" intact (still traveling, working, writing, reading, exploring, creating art, etc.). I was dying to see more unconventional types of lives that were intertwined with motherhood.
Thank you again for sharing, and especially in a public comment! It's beautiful and I'm sure others may benefit from reading it, just as I have!
Enthralled with that Ducrot interview as well.
& this post is such a lovely curation of inspiration!
Thank you Kelsie! If you have the time to watch, this video of Isabella is really charming. She makes me hope even more that I can live to my 90s while continuing to be lively and creative! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsAdU6iBDts
I live in Naples! I would love to visit her home ❤️
She seems like the kind of person who would love visitors, if you could somehow find out how to contact her!!
Yes I've read through everything and I'm so impressed. I'll definitely head to her palazzo in Rome, it's open to the public, in the meantime the video will have to do.
Ah yes, her palazzo!! You'll have to keep me updated on how it is. :)
What a great find! I can't wait to read the whole thing. This line struck me: “I think life, for women, begins at sixty,” she told me. “Because then we begin to be free.” — I like to listen to the Wiser than Me podcast with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and I noticed many of the older women say 50 when Julia asks them what age they feel they are inside. Seems to be an interesting time of life for women!
Ooh, I saved a few of her podcast episodes a few months ago to listen on a plane (it's weirdly the only place where I can concentrate on podcasts). I still haven't gotten to the, but I really need to listen now! Thank you!
Wonderful!! Who doesn't want to have Isabella Ducrot's life in their 90's...what a woman :)
I know!! I would happily have her life now, in my mid-30s!!
Still riding the high of reading Miranda July's All Fours, and one of my favorite parts were the protagonist's sexual encounter with an older woman. I have not looked at older women the same way since, now I am constantly wondering about what fun they are having that is not yet available to us, younger women. As a 43 working mom to a 7 year old, I feel markedly un-free right now. The Ducrot profile is amazing for similar reasons. What a gift to read that and be shown a different way. I will definitely watch the YouTube video you shared in the comments and with the risk of sounding like Amazon.com - if you like this profile, you would most definitely want to read Lauren Elkin's new novel, "Scaffolding"
Your comment is the awesome! "I am constantly wondering about what fun they are having that is not yet available to us, younger women." We can only look forward to the goodness!
I really hope you can find ways to feel less un-free. Is writing helping? I'm finally taking the leap to try to have kids in the near future (something I've been pretty uninterested in my entire life until I met my now-husband) and am mostly worried about losing the immense freedoms I have right now. Reading her words made me feel less doom and confirmed that there are thousands of different ways to live a life.
Scaffolding is officially on my list, thank you so much!
YES. Writing totally helps. As does reading, thinking, and cultivating really meaningful friendships with other women.
I was an older mother for the same reasons you mention above. I didn't get pregnant until I was 37 because I was so worried about everything that motherhood would take away from me. Now looking back from the other side I understand that in many ways, the sacrifice of self is even bigger than I imagined but the positive personal transformation I have experienced is beyond belief - the expansive love, the profound sense of compassion that I feel, the intensity of emotion and connection to women and humanity... I just didn't know that any of that was coming. And all of it has made my inner life and professional ambition deeper and more satisfying, not less.
(Absolutely no proselytizing, though. There are so many ways to be in the world) 🤓📚🥰
I've been letting this comment seep into me for the past few days. It is really wonderful in more ways than I can express!
Everything you wrote makes it clear that becoming a mom has been a powerful experience for you. Everyone says it is, but you articulated it better than I've ever heard to date. And, your explanation is making me feel tremendous comfort! Thank you.
It's also been helpful for me personally to see my close friends start to have children. I didn't really have close-to-me examples until recently of women having children AND keeping "themselves" intact (still traveling, working, writing, reading, exploring, creating art, etc.). I was dying to see more unconventional types of lives that were intertwined with motherhood.
Thank you again for sharing, and especially in a public comment! It's beautiful and I'm sure others may benefit from reading it, just as I have!
Okay obsessed with her
Me too!! And a million times more after watching her in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsAdU6iBDts
Completely wonderful! Thank you for the gift of your fabulous writing, and all the other amazing writing by others that you have shared.
THANK YOU!! You're always so, so, so kind to me!!
You’re so welcome! It’s was to write nice things about your smart and beautiful writing x
Wonderful post.
Thank you Michael!
I had the best time reading this 🤍. She’s incredible.