OW: There is Yvonne. Come on up here, Yvonne. Can you guess how old Yvonne is? I can't. We can't. Well, black people, you just don't know. She could be thirty-five, she could be sixty-five. Who knows? Because, you know, black don't crack. But anyway, take a look at this. Take a look. Yvonne Swann: My name is Yvonne Swann. I'm seventy years old. I always felt that age was just a number. I can't say what seventy feels like because I don't feel seventy or I don't feel sixty actually. I don't feel fifty. I'm in love. I'm in love with myself, I'm in love with everything that's going on in my life. I've been single since 1958 and I think it was a real advantage for me in terms of finding out who I am. I have one son, Larry, who's fifty years old. And when we go out, guys think that he's my date. I live in New York and it's great. I just come downstairs and I'm in the middle of everything. My transportation is my bicycle or walking, which I love to do. And I rollerblade. In my home, when the weather's bad, I have the Pilates bench. I also have belly dance tapes. A couple of times a week, I do belly dancing. I don't have to put makeup on every day, but I always put moisturizer and moisturize the whole body. I try to eat sensibly and so if I have dessert one evening, I'm not going to have it the next evening. I love to have a martini or a glass of wine with dinner. Compared to ten years ago, I feel marvelous. I feel more confident, I feel more beautiful and I think it's because I've opened inwardly that I just feel the world's my oyster. OW: Wow. [APPLAUSE] Wow. I was only kidding when I said you could be thirty-five or sixty-five. I did not know. No. Even- let's just say this. I was only kidding, because I was just saying, you know, black people, we have the whole melanin thing in the skin and so we age well, for the most part. But even the Dove women are in awe of you. I could see that. Seventy years old? Seven- seven oh. ES: Yes. OW: Seven oh. ES: Yes. OW: Seven oh. Seven oh. ES: That's what it looks like in 2007. OW: Okay. So what is- what is the secret? What is the key to your youthful appearance? ES: Well, it's interesting because I found myself at the age of twenty- one getting a divorce and with a son. And I just decided that I didn't like the way I was brought up and so on and I was going to re-raise myself. And I was going to- OW: Thank you, mama. Thank you. That's good. ES: Bring- have high life condition in my life and energy and I was introduced to the transcendental meditation technique. OW: Yeah, yeah, yeah. ES: And it opened the door for me seeing my inner bliss. And from then on, it's just been up, up, up. OW: Really? ES: It's just so incredible how you- everything I do is with passion and excitement and joy. And I- I- I create my environment. And- OW: Well, so far both you and Elaine are talking about the same thing. She found it through Taekwondo, you're saying for you it started with meditation and a decision to live your life with a sense of passion. Which is very key thing, I think, we're hearing here today, different than any other show we've done with, you know, women looking youthful, is that both of you are talking about what comes from the inside. And I just had an epiphany moment. I think if you're miserable, if you're in marriages that don't work, you're in relationships that don't work, you're in a job that brings you down- That that is a- that is an ager. That ages you. But when you're living your life with passion, you're doing what you really want to do- I don't know if we can look like this, but okay. Pretty amazing, pretty amazing. ES: Yes. Yes. And the important thing is that I'd like to tell everyone- moisturize, moisturize, moisturize because- OW: Because? [APPLAUSE] ES: I mean- OW: Because? ES: Every morning, I get up- before I open the door to pick up my New York Times, I have moisturizer on. OW: Really? ES: Yes. OW: Okay. Well, if that's the key, then let's go buy the moisturizer. Thank you, Yvonne. Thank you very much. Thank you.
I wonder if she's still around. She's between my parents' age.
Wooow... I like how she said she had to re- raise herself. What a motivation
I notice older single women always look soooo young. Marriage and kids really seem to wear women out. My mom started looking younger when she stopped caring about pleasing others and does what she wants now. (Still married)
I noticed it myself, I was always much happier after breaking it off with someone than I was being with them. It’s like I can finally just be myself without someone bothering me. I felt like all my energy came back too.
I’m sure there are people who make it worth it but I haven’t met one yet. I’m ok with living myself and talking to family or one close friend when I need to. I also feel much more at peace since cutting off friends, I just need 1-2 good friends, anything more than that and it’s drama. My friendships with women have been most more enriching than dating.