Blog #74. From Punchline to Power: Reclaiming Pride in Our Age

Do you cringe sometimes when you see an older woman in the media?

You know the ones. The garish sitcom grandma who’s horny, cranky, or both. The clueless older woman fumbling with tech. The punchline at the party, the butt of the joke.

Not the butt of anyone's joke!

Where are the elder women we know in real life? The grandmother whose front door is always open and whose kitchen is a sanctuary for the community – young and old alike. The neighbor with cats and a kind word and a wave, so mysterious you just KNOW she has a story (or two) to tell. Or the lady at the farmers’ market who has working hands, bright cheeks, and a passion for the vegetables she sells.

Somewhere along the way, aging became comedy fodder, especially elder women. Our wrinkles? Hilarious. Our hot flashes? Comic relief. Our insights? Ignored… unless we deliver them with a wink and a side of self-deprecation.

Oh, we might laugh along. But part of us nervously worries: Is that how the world sees me now?

Long before pop culture decided older women were past their prime, or just plain past it, there was the crone. Not the scary witch or the frumpy frump we’ve been handed. The real crone: the truth-teller. The edge-walker. The woman who bridged generations with her wisdom, knowledge, and skills.

She didn’t chase approval. She carried insight. She didn’t demand attention. People listened.

Reclaiming the crone is not about going back to some fantasy of ancient power. It’s not about incantations and potions either. It’s about standing fully in our power now. It’s about refusing to shrink or smooth over our edges just because the culture isn’t ready for what we know.

For the crone, aging isn’t a punchline. It’s a portal.

So how do we step out of those yuckitty-yuck-yuck punchlines and into our strengths?

1. Catch the Joke—and Pause the Laugh. The next time you hear someone mock aging women—whether on screen or in your own head—pause. Ask: Who benefits from this? Who disappears?

2. Claim a New Story. Write down three things you love about getting older. Then say them out loud. To someone. To your reflection in the mirror. Hear your voice say what you love.

3. Use Your Voice Where It Matters. You’ve lived enough to know what’s broken—and what’s possible. Whether it’s mentoring, community-building, or just speaking up in a meeting: let your wisdom speak.

4. Surround Yourself with Fellow Rebels. Find the women who laugh with depth, cry without shame, and won’t settle for shrinking into the background. Then rise together.

Aging isn’t something to survive with grace and good skincare. It’s something to inhabit with presence, purpose, and unapologetic power.

We’re not punchlines. We’re page-turners. And my friend, we’re just getting to the good part. Come join me at WonderCrone.com, where wisdom is fierce, funny, and always invited to the front of the line. Consider joining our membership community: Where Wisdom Meets Wonder for just the cost of a weekly coffee.