Saturnal Susan

Selfie with Susan by Kelli Lynn

After my cemetery walk, I locked onto a recent copy of Good Housekeeping at the local Dollar General. Susan Sarandon's cover shot grabbed me.  At 71, she looked so young--grounded within herself yet open.

I instantly associated her with Saturn. Red-headed and radiant, she seemed to have little in common with the decidedly more time-worn images of the crone which usually call to me. I felt confused until I opened up the magazine and saw her words.

On the worst parenting advice she received, Susan said this:

I think it was 'Don't have the baby.' . . as though it would ruin my career, and I was so old anyway. I had my first baby at 39 and my third at 45, and with each child, [people were like] 'Are you crazy? Don't!'
 
And on happiness :

Just surrender the idea that you're going to do everything right because the odds are not in your favor.  

There is a side of Saturn which draws new boundaries and creates its own time. Susan illustrates how this can be done--by having children when she wishes and also by embracing relationships for decades until they feel naturally done, continuing to be steadily creative, remaining loyal to her activism and admittedly embracing each imperfect moment as they come.

There are some crones who harbor both wisdom and resentment as they stand guard over the passage of time. I sense none of that with Susan. Instead, there's humor, compassion and strength.

It is important to remember this side of Saturn.