“When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you.” ~African Proverb
It’s a Tuesday morning, just past ten. The South Indian sun, a relentless force, is already coaxing the last drops of moisture from my boardshorts and tank top. I’ve just emerged from the Arabian Sea, its waters a surreal, bathtub-warm blue, feeling utterly alive and exhilarated. For two years, consistently catching waves has been my unwavering goal, and here I am, doing it. This achievement feels particularly profound, given that a decade ago, a terrifying surfing accident nearly cost me my teeth, embedding a deep-seated fear that kept me from the ocean for years, shifting my focus entirely to yoga.
My journey back to the waves began unexpectedly. After an intensive Ashtanga yoga study period in Kerala, India, the pandemic led me to a coastal town that, serendipitously, offered excellent surf. My re-entry into the sport was a slow, deliberate dance. For my fiftieth birthday, I gifted myself ten surf lessons, choosing to restart as a complete beginner, gently easing back into the rhythm of the board and the sea.
The Unsolicited Age Check
During one of these early lessons, a man in his mid-thirties, a fellow student, casually inquired, “How old are you?” “Fifty,” I replied. His response, “I hope I am still surfing at your age,” was likely intended as a compliment. Yet, it landed with a self-conscious thud, leaving me to ponder why my age was even relevant.
Two years on, I’ve progressed from a tentative beginner to a confident intermediate surfer. One morning, post-surf, I found myself sipping hot chai from a Dixie cup by a bustling fishing village road. An older Indian gentleman, his hair streaked with grey, posed the same question: “What is your age?” “Fifty-two,” I answered. His jaw dropped. “I thought you were seventy,” he declared, adding bluntly, “You have really bad skin.”
Yes, this truly happened. And it wasn’t an isolated incident. Each time, such comments felt like a punch to the gut, deflating my spirit. How, I wondered, could I possibly look seventy when, internally, I felt more vibrant and capable than I did at twenty-one? The truth is, I wasn’t blessed with ‘good skin’ genetics, and a lifetime spent outdoors, basking in the sun, has indeed given my skin a rather leathery, ‘alligator-like’ texture.
Reclaiming My Narrative: From Shame to Empowerment
For years, I’d played the age game, shaving off years until my mid-forties. On my forty-sixth birthday, I told someone I was forty, only to be met with laughter and a query about being sixty. But the chai-shop encounter sparked a different kind of rebellion. What if I started lying in the other direction? What if I told these men I was eighty-five?
The thought brought a smile to my face, an immediate surge of empowerment. Instead of internalizing shame about my appearance, I decided to deflect it, to hand it right back. Their opinions, or anyone’s for that matter, about how I look became utterly irrelevant. I stopped investing any energy into my external appearance, because internally, I felt phenomenal.
The Power of Inner Strength and Achievement
My days are a testament to this inner vitality. I rigorously practice the challenging intermediate series of Ashtanga yoga six days a week – an accomplishment I never dreamed possible in my forties. And, of course, I surf every single day. The young, twenty-something Indian surf guys, who once might have judged, now offer fist pumps and exclamations: “You are really surfing and catching some big waves now!” They’ve stopped asking about my age.
An Unapologetic Stand for Aging
This journey compelled me to share my story, to ask a fundamental question: Why are we, as a society, not ‘allowed’ to age? Why is the natural progression of wrinkles, grey hair, and changing skin deemed an embarrassment? Our bodies age; it’s an undeniable biological truth. So why the relentless pressure to defy our years, or, in my case, to appear younger than I am, or even older than I feel?
I’ve chosen to take a stand, to turn the tide against these superficial judgments. I am unapologetically claiming my age, my rightful place in the surf line, and my truth. We are allowed to age. We are allowed to embrace the wisdom and strength that come with every passing year, letting our inner vibrancy outshine any external scrutiny.
About Polly Green: Polly Green is a psychic medium, spiritual coach, and filmmaker who guides self-aware souls through growth and transition. She helps clients release old patterns, reconnect with their true essence, and feel grounded, clear, and empowered in life and work. Blending mindset shifts with spiritual tools, she supports awakening empaths in embracing their gifts and helps those seeking comfort and connection with loved ones on the Other Side. Connect with her on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, or visit her
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