My Grandma had a saying, written by Carol Matthau, on a piece of paper on her refrigerator for many years. It’s something that didn’t make a lot of sense to me when I was younger, but I can absolutely see it more now, each passing year.

Bob took this photo, on our front porch late this summer. I find that growing old is a strange thing. Worse than myself growing older is those around me moving on in years, really the fear that something will happen to them. But then, they probably feel the same was as I do. When you are young, you seem invincible and everything seems like it will go on forever just as it is (but maybe more fabulous each passing day). When you are older, you have felt loss and you know how fragile life is and how quickly someone can be pulled from you forever. Loss of loved ones is more real to you with age.

I feel much the same as I did when I was in my 20s, except with a few more aches and pains and a little less anxiety. I feel more comfortable in my skin. There is no doubt that the world in general looks at me as an older person, even though I am the same in my heart as I have always been. There is no explaining that to young people, though. They will each find it on their own, in time.