My lucky star
You must be my lucky star
'Cause you shine on me
Wherever you are
I just think of you
And I start to glow
And I need your light
And baby you know
We weren’t sure quite sure how to construct the pointy boob bras with swinging tassles but my teenage friends and I spent a lot of time bopping around to Madonna at boarding school. I have never been one to cleverly retain the lyrics of songs, I would say more of a beat girl. That beat of a fine pop tune that brought glorious distraction to a long Saturday evening.
Fast forward 40 years (I know it’s obscene), a greater opportunity for reflection as the offspring have fled the nest and life has more space, weirdly the lyrics of some of my favs have begun popping into to my head. In fact, they are on repeat especially when I am legging it up some steep hill on a hike training set.
I would love to ask Madonna if her 25-year-old self was writing this song about, well herself. If she was, the wisdom in that woman would be off the charts. For 55-year-old Frith I think she wrote if for all women to be their own lucky star.
If there was “one main thing” that I gained from 2025 it was the final realisation that I am my biggest champion, cheerleader, hype crew and vibe tribe. When I turned off the nay-sayer, the pity-party, negative ninny and spoilsport the most amazing thing happened. I felt really happy.
Deeply happy. The kind of happy that doesn’t NEED other people, things or events to make me happy. The kind of happy that doesn’t need special notes, people to notice or another new outfit. It doesn’t need a gym without mirrors, a big bouquet of flowers or winning approval.
Honestly, it’s been an absolute revelation. Do I get sad still? You bet your superannuation account I do but I am sad for reasons that a truly SAD. I am not sad because I feel like I am not enough. Kind enough, smart enough, fit enough, thoughtful enough. I am sad because someone close to me is hurting or I am feeling unwell. Proper legitimate sad.
Guess what has happened as a result of this major epiphany which was handed to me on the vast frozen lakes of the Arctic at minus 20 degrees. I genuinely feel so lucky and I shine so bright wherever “I are”. I think of all the things that make up my life – the good, the boring, the touch ugly, the stressful and sometimes hurtful and all of it, makes me feel lucky.
The biggest critic has left the building. I have finally kicked out that nasty CEO. And in their absence when previously I feared my motivation may slide, the direct opposite has happened. I am more emboldened, more dedicated, and more determined.
I have lost my self-measurement stick of front, middle or back. I’m not thinking about being in the winning position or entering a losing streak. I am just so damn proud of myself that I am in the arena having a go. Where I am “in the field” doesn’t really matter to me. What does is I am doing the work, striding through the world with relative consistency. Falling down, getting up, going again. Falling down again, getting up again and going – yes you have got it, again. Commitment and contribution are far out waying small brushes with gold medal praise.
Instead, I self-congratulate, catching myself when I am doing the right thing that will enable positive change in the world I have built around me.
Getting in right all the time? Probably not. Sitting around full of self-importance? Definitely not.
Just so very grateful I have worked out for myself that I am my lucky star and with close to two thirds of life “down” this third act has never looked so bright.
For I am my lucky star,
Shining on me
Wherever I am
I just think of me
And I start to glow
And I need my light
And baby I know
Shine your light bright in 2026 girls.
Frith x