J-Lo and Shakira put on show for the ages — our ages
I didn’t watch much of the Super Bowl, but the halftime show brought me to a stop in front of the TV.
Shakira and Jennifer Lopez delivered a riveting performance of their hits, including my favorite, Lopez’s “Let’s Get Loud,” with Shakira on drums. Ain’t nobody gotta tell ya/What you gotta do.
I sang along and then stopped to think. How old are these women? I googled it. Lopez is 50, and Shakira is 43.
The two women, both mothers, were on fire. Not despite their age but because of it.
It is moments like these, on TV, on stage, in the movies or in life that shatter how we think of age — and how we look at ourselves.
Moments like when Betty Buckley, 71, descended the staircase during the signature number of “Hello Dolly!” at Gammage theater.
Or when Nancy Pelosi, at 78, was voted in again as Speaker of the House, standing firm amid political turmoil.
Or when Dame Maggie Smith stole every scene in “Downton Abbey” at 85.
Their work reflects the depth that comes from experience and a precision from a lifetime of honing their skills. The same was true for Shakira and Lopez.
It’s proof the rules that once dictated what can or cannot happen at a certain age don’t exist anymore. This generation of women has changed that.
We wear what we want. We speak up and work for the causes we believe in.
We listen to music from the ’80s and from Lizzo and Rise Against. If it’s broken, we do-it-ourselves. We ignore arbitrary retirement deadlines.
If you want to live your life/Live it all the way and don’t waste it.
I belted out the words with Lopez, delighting in Shakira wailing on the drums. I always wanted to play the drums.
What was I waiting for? I started tap dancing at 46.
At 54, I’m going to take up drumming. Reach columnist Karina Bland at karina.bland@arizonarepublic.com.