Why do some social situations feel like stepping into a puddle of mud? The harder you try to pull yourself free, the deeper you sink. What starts as a minor annoyance quickly becomes a\u00a0messy struggle, leaving you wondering how such a small step got you so stuck.\n<\/p>\n
The Israeli sketch comedy show, Mi Zot<\/a> (Who Is She?), delights in these stuck-in-the-mud moments. Written by women and featuring an all-female cast, its characters respond to everyday social awkwardness by pushing it to absurd extremes, all through an Israeli lens.\n<\/p>\n The mother of a bar mitzvah boy greets guests she can\u2019t stand with air kisses and compliments so over-the-top that her sincerity is as obviously fake as her simcha makeup and hair. At the park, when a busybody insists a baby isn\u2019t dressed appropriately for the weather, the mother offers to call her every morning for outfit approval. The sketches are funny because they capture a feeling most women know well: getting trapped in social situations where there seems to be no graceful way out. It appeals to the women in my family ranging in age from tweens, twenties, thirties, forties, and now me, at 50.\n<\/p>\n Just like the women of Mi Zot dealt with uncomfortable situations by transforming them into comedy, I\u2019ve tried to transform my discomfort with turning 50 into an adventure.\n<\/p>\n Turning 50 is like a switchback trail. One turn brings accomplishments and blessings. The next reminds you that aging requires constant vigilance for health screenings, hormonal changes, and hair color. I have more credibility at work but must bring my reading glasses to every meeting. I don\u2019t drive multiple carpools, but I also don\u2019t see my adult kids every day. We are best friends, but I can\u2019t solve their challenges with a cup of hot chocolate and a bedtime story.\n<\/p>\n So I decided to embrace the switchback-trail-ness of 50, both figuratively and literally.\n<\/p>\n On my birthday, I got a second ear piercing. That might not seem like a big deal, but for years I didn\u2019t have earrings at all. And I did it for no other reason than I wanted to. I didn\u2019t worry whether it was age-appropriate or what others might think. I did get a raised eyebrow from my mother \u2013 and that gave the act the perfect amount of rebelliousness.\n<\/p>\n Then I traveled solo. Again, not because I had to \u2013 because I wanted to. I walked the fragrant boulevards of Beverly Hills and window shopped on Rodeo Drive. I got a fancy cocktail at the Chanel caf\u00e9. I strolled along the Santa Monica pier and Venice Beach, eyeing Doors and Red Hot Chili Peppers merch and remembering my teenage self \u2013 before college, relationships, babies, jobs. My own origin story. It\u2019s much easier to look back on now that I\u2019m past all the confusion, angst and fear of the future. I know what my future held \u2013 and it\u2019s been pretty good.\n<\/p>\n Finally, I spent five days hiking, rock climbing, and camping in Yosemite National Park \u2013 activities I never experienced before. As someone more comfortable in front of an aerobics instructor than on mountain terrain, with a healthy fear of steep descents and cliff edges, it was entirely out of character.\n<\/p>\n And that was the point.\n<\/p>\n I had the incredible support of Yifei Nof Tours<\/a>, an all-women\u2019s team who runs kosher outdoor adventure tours for religious women. Yifei Nof covered the meals, lodging, and equipment. All I had to do was train, show up, and work hard. The 12 women came from diverse backgrounds, including Hasidic from Williamsburg, Yeshivish from Monsey, Baltimore and Cleveland, and laid-back spiritual seekers like me. But we all made friends easily and supported each other by taking photos together, sharing snacks, gear, and hiking tips.\n<\/p>\n The friendships came easily. The hiking did not.\n<\/p>\n