How does a woman from a small town in Iowa go from being a faculty event planner to a badass tattooed retiree? If you talk to Helen Lambin, it all makes perfect sense.
Things started when, despondently, she was turning 75: Lambin decided to shake things up with one small tattoo; a peace daisy. Soon afterward, she got a baby dolphin, but then thought that it should have a mother, so the third tattoo happened. Then she decided to get a little pink rabbit in memory of her beloved husband who, before he died in January 1996, used to call her “Bunny.”
“Things just sort of spiraled.” she laughs. “They are art; the difference is the canvas is moving.”
Five years later, Lambin’s body is a virtual wonderland of more than 50 tattoos.
A widow and grandmother, Lambin loves how her tats help connect her to people, especially younger people, and challenge whatever limitations and stereotypes others might try to impose on her.
We spoke with the inked rebel over the phone from her home in Chicago and even got a tip for the the tattoo that we might get one day: “Start with a small one. That way you know it will be over soon!”
How old are you – and how old do you feel?
I’m 80. For decades I managed to convince myself that I was ten years younger, so it was a real shock to find out that I wasn’t. How old do I feel? Ordinarily, 24, but let’s say 39.
How do people react to your tattoos?
I did not anticipate the extent to which my tattoos are a bridge to others. People can be really hard on teenagers and make collective judgments, but I’ll be walking down the street and kids will stop me and say, “nice ink,” and then we talk. Some want to get tattoos, and most are too young, which I point out to them. It’s great because it’s a connection across, race, age, ethnicity and gender; it’s a vast bridge that I like.
There tends to be this stereotype that old people are characters in a Victorian novel who sit in little chairs and watch the dance. When you get to my age, many of my contacts are gone, so this is nice because it opens up the world. My tattoos have enriched my life.
What do you do for fun?
I’ve been taking harmonica lessons and I’m trying to learn Spanish again. I love the language. It’s important to do new things. My husband was a psychologist and he said that as you get older it’s important to keep doing things, because once you stop you may not do it again. It’s easy to fall into the trap, “Oh, I’m not going to leave the house today; I’m too tired.” So I keep doing things as long as I am able. I am also a writer; I write about religion and about loss and transition, and I wrote a prayer book, but you’ve got to understand that these are from the point of an eccentric person, not traditional at all, as you might imagine!
How has technology figured in your life?
I have a cellphone, but I only use it when I go out. I use Facebook on occasion. I absolutely love Google for finding things out, and I enjoy email for staying in touch with my daughter, who lives in Hong Kong. I’m freelance writer, and writing on a computer, compared to a typewriter, is marvelous.
What advice would you give to people who are afraid of aging?
Good question. When I hit 80, I was horrified! I was shocked that 80 somehow followed 79. I’m still recovering, but what I would say is be present in the moment. This is a solid piece of advice because we are always looking ahead or back. We lose track of this day, this moment, this hour, so I am trying to be present in the moment. I am working on this; it is not something I have mastered. Try to live the days you do have by making the most of them.
What does “aging with attitude” mean to you?
I love the term; it’s all about having a kind of humorous defiance and a refusal to be patronized. Don’t mess around with a tattooed old lady. I was on the on the L train and a guy said to me, “Wow, you are really badass!” I laughed, “Why, thank you, how nice of you to say!”
COMMENTS
12 responses to “Aging with Attitude: Inked Rebel Helen Lambin”
Sorry, got you beat. Got my first tattoo at 82 I designed a bluebird with peace sign for stomach. It is on my right hand inside wrist. To me it means bluebird of happiness with inner peace.
Second tattoo year later. On left inner arm about 4 inches from wrist, the word Believe.
That;s it for me I hardly know they are there. They are just a part of “me”. Fun
I got my first tattoo at age 57 – it is a Celtic design and took 17 hours to complete (needless to say, it’s very large). I then got another tattoo, one of Mary Poppins, from the cover of the 1943 book “Mary Poppins Opens The Door”. Now at 67, I’d dearly love to have others – Pippi Longstocking comes to mind – but for the past 2 years, I have to take a drug for an autoimmune disease, and I worry that a tattoo wouldn’t heal. Such a drag.
I don’t have a bucket list at 81 I say bucket, spelled a little differently. I got my first very small tattoo while in the U.S. Army at 18. At 78 yrs old, another one to cover up my very old and bled out one. Liked it so much at 79 added another large one. Thinking at 81to add. Go girl(s), I’m having fun!
I just love women who aren’t afraid to live outside the box! I am 61 and all my life I have dyed my hair and had very unusual hair styles and even got multi-colored dreds a couple of years ago. Very few people understand I that I don’t want to “appear younger” by dyeing my hair vivid wild colors or wearing odd clothing…I am a creative person and I must have color all around me. I really want to get my first tat on the side of my face to cover up those ugly brown spots! Everyone I have mentioned it to freaks out but I am thinking of a colorful peacock! I “think” I have a high tolerance to pain so I am not afraid it will hurt too bad but maybe I should get one one my wrist or somewhere else first just to make sure I can take it! You would think anyone who had a C-section and some labor ought to be able to handle needle pokes!!
Turn 60 felt very traumatic to me. I wanted no birthday party of any kind as if I didn’t acknowledge it it wouldn’t be true! SO many things I wanted to do in life that I never did and I felt the parade had passed me by. But everytime I read about someone grabbing life by the neck and giving it a good shake, I feel so encouraged.
My mom is 85 and you would never know it by the way she acts, dresses, talks, etc. She still drives, lives alone, goes on trips, has more friends than I ever will, loves to socialize, has a gentleman friend (going on 20 years!) and gets invited to every event imaginable. She totally embraces “living life to the fullest”.
WOW!! What a wonderful and important message to us all – embrace Life and live it to the fullest. Age is only a number – its what you do in each day that matters!
Blessings from England x
Hello to you, wonderful lady! From another aging, tattooed, badass lady. This is a great commentary on keeping an open mind & embracing the adventure of living. I love it “<3"
Your line: “We lose track of this day, this moment, this hour, so I am trying to be present in the moment.I am working on this; it is not something I have mastered. Try to live the days you do have by making the most of them.”
This is something I’m trying to work on as well. And, at 62, maybe I’ll master it. And I’m getting a tat soon – of my black Friesian horse, Maximus. I just have to find someone I trust to do it. Any suggestions?
I’m THRILLED to find this site!! I know older people are online but most of what I see is so boringly youth-oriented. Bookmarked and will visit often!!
You rock, Helen!
Hi Robin, we’re glad you found us;) If you’d like, you can sign up for our weekly newsfeed email Daily Orbit – it previews and links to the past week’s articles. You can subscribe here.
Good tatto
I love this woman.We could be BFF. At age 74.5 I know I won’t get a tatoo but I don’t know what else I will do. I started creating jewelry a few years ago, am helping friends 20 years younger set up fb for pages, talk to everyone in social media, blog, email marketing, Pinterest. Just won an award for a poem I submitted to “The Blanket Story”. I am not a ‘creative’, poet or a ‘writer’ but a human being who tries things. My handle is “The Ageless Explorer”. So is she.
At the age of 74 I too love seniors with attitude!
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