Marisa Gallemit

Visual Artist

Q: What does 50 feel like for you?
A: Fifty feels like a true coming of age. An unfolding and a consistent practice of self-reflection, refining my preferences, adapting to changes, forgiving-- observing who I am and how I want to be.

Q: What’s the best part of being 50?
A: I would say that the best part is that I'm getting better at looking inward (lovingly), rather than outward (needily). I'm learning how to hold my own hand and how to accept support from my people.

Q: What’s your least favourite part of being 50?
A: The challenge of aging is remaining present with my physical body and understanding her to be an ever-changing vessel with evolving cycles. She's not static and she's not designed to be 25 forever! 

Q: What words or adjectives would you use to describe 50?
A: Matriarch. Elder. Auntie.

Q: How is turning 50 different from turning 30 or 40?
A: It's not. But the number itself implores us to do the math and calculate how much time is left, doesn't it? It's a good reminder to stay in the moment, foster community, listen to the younger ones, uplift one another.

Q: If you could magically go back to a younger version of yourself, would you?
A: Probably not, it was all so dramatic and exhausting before! All my lessons were hard won so I'm happy to continue my education in a (relatively) peaceful fifty-year-old state.

Q: If you could give your younger self advice, what would it be?
A: It is advice to my current self too: Be brave. Be generous. Believe in your power. Persevere.

Marisa can be found online here.