Midlife in Focus: How 45 Turned Me into a Reader-Wearing Pro

Being 45: The Age of Readers and Realizations

I talk about this “midlife age thing” a lot – but honestly, it’s because more than any other time in my life, it feels like age is running the whole show.

There’s no hiding from it. Especially when it comes to… readers.

Readers, Cheaters, Glasses – Whatever You Call Them

They’re everywhere now. Kitchen. Living room. Bathroom. Car. Purse.

One pair is never enough.

I remember watching adults hold things at arm’s length and thinking, “How does that help?” Now I know. Actually, I’m past knowing. I’m living it.

And can we talk about the packaging for “mature skin” products? Why is the font so tiny? We’re literally the people who can’t read it without a magnifying glass.

Enter the Progressives (a.k.a. Modern Bifocals)

At my last eye appointment, I got a prescription for progressive lenses.

Let’s just say… I wasn’t thrilled.

They’re basically bifocals with a fancy name. And I don’t care how sleek the frames are – in my mind, bifocals were for my grandma. Not for me. Not yet.

Still, I picked them up. And wow – small print? Crystal clear.
But wearing them daily? That’s another story. I feel like I’m learning to walk again.

Something must be wrong with me. Or the glasses. (Probably me.)

Dinner at 5:30, Readers at the Table

Here’s a snapshot of life at 45:

Dinner with friends.
Five women.
Same laughter and fun.
One pair of readers being passed around like a bottle of wine.

We used to start our nights at 10:00 p.m.
Now we’re home by then – glasses on the nightstand, scrolling with one eye open.

Shopping Sans Readers: A Game of Guess That Price

Sometimes I “wing it.” Which is code for: my purse readers are at home, laughing at me from the kitchen counter where I abandoned them.

So, there I am in the store, holding the price tag six inches from my face while squinting. I think it says $6.99… but it could just as easily be $8.99. Or worse, $16.99.

To anyone tempted to laugh at the woman trying to read at arm’s length – enjoy your youthful eyes while you can, my friend.

Because one day, you’ll be here too: sharing readers at a 5:30 dinner, guessing price tags, sunglasses perched on your head, readers on your nose, and wondering how on earth you ever survived without a pair in every room.

Final Thought

Getting older has a way of sneaking up on you. It’s not all bad – it’s just blurry sometimes.

But there’s something oddly comforting about this shared stage of life. We’re all squinting together.

Midlife comes with surprises (and lots of reading glasses). If this made you laugh or nod along, subscribe below for more honest stories, encouragement, and a little humor for the road.