Breasts and Bunions
The body is like a well- constructed building and is expected to have a lasting and uninterrupted presence. However, without any warning and not by choice, the body encounters multiple changes throughout its existence.
One particular change that can occur in a woman’s body in her later years is the enlargement of her breasts, both in size and in shape.
Julia, in her golden years, found herself struggling with this sudden chest expansion. This caused her great concern, mainly thinking it could be a serious health issue. She consulted with her doctor and was told that this new growth in later years was not unusual for some women. She was greatly 
relieved that it was not a serious condition, but overwhelmed with this new endowment in her chest that was neither expected nor wanted. She became distraught over the drastic changes she was encountering. Her peaceful existence was now completely disrupted and upsetting. A much fuller look in her physical appearance was apparent and her wardrobe was no longer flattering, which meant it had to be replaced.
Julia’s most favorite thing to do, under normal circumstances, was shopping for clothes. Before this sudden upheaval in her upper body, shoe shopping was a problem due to a protruding bunion that had developed on each foot. She was told by her father that this was an inherited family curse. Meaning it was very difficult to find attractive and stylish shoes to fit over the bunions comfortably. It took several visits to shoe stores before Julia was able to find the right pair of shoes that her feet were happy in. As difficult as it was, shoe shopping was a breeze compared to bra shopping.
Now that her bra size had increased, shopping for the right bra to support her over-sized breasts was not an easy task. She went to several professional bra fitters and was not able to be fitted to a bra of her liking. She was persistent to find her own bra and after weeks of unsuccessful shopping, success arrived when she finally found a bra that met all of her requirements. This was her most welcomed purchase with an added surprise. When she had tried on the bra in the fitting room and saw how perfectly it fit her in the mirror, she quickly took it off, got dressed and ran to the waiting salesperson to buy it immediately. Now at home, she was able to look the bra over and to her amazement, there was the surprise awaiting her. In her haste, she had over looked the hang tag that was attached to the bra and in bold print it had “maternity” on it. For Julia, this was a magical moment. It brought back happy memories when she enjoyed the comfort of wearing maternity bras during her own pregnancies. Now she was greatly relieved and eternally grateful there would be a surplus source for her to select from. Bra shopping would no longer be a dreaded trip, instead, a most pleasurable shopping excursion. When there is a will, there is a way to fit breasts and bunions.
Rita N. Wolfson
Bio:
Rita Nathan Wolfson is a 94-year-old author, poet, and artist. For more than twenty years she created artwork and jewelry utilizing recycled paper, the profits of which were donated to charitable causes. Rita self-published a book that combined her artwork and creative writing: One Liner on Two Lines and most recently, during the pandemic, she has been sharing her poetry on YouTube as the Positive Poet.
Rita began her creative journey later in life, after raising her family. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts, Boston at the age of 65, where she discovered her passion for learning. Upon graduation, she became a founding member of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute - taking countless classes and leading poetry seminars. She is tireless in her interests and has recently expanded her writing into the short story genre.
Photo credits: @Pexels: Cottonbro Studio / IG: @cottonbro