The Importance of JLo. Yup. I just said that.

I loved her costume.  I loved Shakira’s costume. I didn’t find them offensive nor did I feel like "the kids should leave the room.” If my kids were in the same room, I would have pointed at JLo and said, “She’s in her 50’s, too.” Besides have you seen what the kids are watching on Netflix or Tiktok or Youtube or a million other places? 

I’m not advocating for unfettered internet access- keep them off social media as long as you can.  But some of the shows they are watching are so good. They are good at laying all those things parents have a hard time talking about with their own kids right on the table. 

They take these “things” and dissect them, hold them up to the light, and see how they apply to them in their own lives. And that’s not a bad thing. So JLo and Skakira doing what they do better than nearly anyone else on the planet? Everyone should stop and watch. And a hundred million of us did.  Except me. I was at work. I watched it the next morning. 

Take what you want from that whole event. Athletes doing what they do best. Advertisers do what they do best. And JLo and Shakira doing what they do best- setting that stage on fire. 

I collect aprons. It’s an unofficial collection that is used on a daily basis. But I wear one every day. I started this years ago after getting annoyed for the 1,000th time that my stomach always ended up wet while washing dishes. At 5’2”, I am just the wrong height for remaining dry while standing next to the sink. Aprons solved the problem. But then I came to appreciate the fact some had pockets for storing my glasses and some had pockets big enough to take a portable speaker with me as I traveled the house doing the necessary but mundane chores of everyday life. When I put my apron on, it means I am going to “work”. 

When JLo put that silver outfit on, she also went to work.She did what she does best and she will never apologize for it. Nor should she. Because what she just did was to give everyone a wake-up call. 

Phone vibrating.

Me (also a Jen): “Hello?”

JLo: “Heyyyy, Jen. Whadda ya think?.”

Me: “It was better than I imagined it would be. People are freaking out.”

JLo: “I banged up my knees pretty good. But I think it was worth it. Did you see me on the pole?”

Me: “I did. You rocked it.”

JLo: “I just wanted to say hi but I gotta go. My daughter lost her iPhone. And we are late for school.”

Me: “Ice those knees. See ya.”

Under that apron and that silver outfit, we are all the same. Age doesn’t make all those feelings and desires and the need to feel sexy once in awhile go away. It’s all still there. Under those aprons, beneath that extra 15 or 20 pounds. Underneath the worries children bring, underneath the layer of exhaustion work can add. JLo just brought it all front and center. She held what it means to be 50 up to the light for everyone to dissect.

We may have kids in college. We have more silver than red in our hair. We may have just traded in a fun little car for the mom mobile, but we didn’t trade in who we are at our core. We are still here. Just a (heart)beat away dancing to a JLo song.