Happy, happy Friday, ladies! We’re marching through the merry month of May at a brisk pace. The weather in Georgia has taken us on a roller coaster ride this past week. Last Saturday, my family attended a Braves game. It was chilly enough for a jacket! Although I shan’t complain. Looking at the forecast, we’ll be in the 90s next week. Looks like we’re going to jump straight into summer this year with just a brief glimpse of spring. Oh, the weather is a fickle creature for sure. I’m packing my bags today and heading to Tybee on Saturday, so I think summer temps will be A-Okay while I soak up all that vitamin sea. Before I head out the door, let’s take a moment and savor every moment this beautiful Friday has to offer! Life is short, life is fleeting, and it can change on a dime. It’s important that we make every day count.

I so appreciate all the a-ma-zing readers that tune in every day to check in on how we can age with grace, strength, and beauty. But what, exactly, is aging with grace, strength, and beauty? Am I talking about aging gracefully? This generally means acting your age, wearing age-appropriate clothing (apparently, some women think clothes have ages sewn into the label), wearing age-appropriate hair, and doing age-appropriate activities that don’t seem like you’re trying too hard. God forbid we would try too hard, right?! Who made up these rules? Here’s an interesting quote:

 “Aging gracefully" entails walking a tightrope between a youth-obsessed society, which tells us that our value declines as we age, and a culture that says nothing is as uncool as desperation, the fervent desire for something we can’t have.” 

Sounds exhausting! This is why I look at aging a bit differently. Age isn’t something to defeat and conquer; it’s not my goal to “look ten years younger” or “age-appropriate,” although we should strive to be the best version of ourselves. In my mind, aging is all about embracing and navigating all the changes age brings with grace, strength, and beauty. It has more to do with attitude than anything else.

• Grace - grace is courteous, grace is dignified, and grace is elegant
• Strength - strength is robust, strength is vigor, strength is power
• Beauty - beauty is brilliant, beauty is excellent quality, beauty is lovely

Attitude is everything, especially as we age. Life is a gift, and we need to treat it as such. When we reach a certain age, we understand all too well that anything can be taken from us at any moment, including our health and wealth. But one thing that can never be taken away is our attitude; it’s our freedom to choose how we respond to life and to others.

Here are a few things I’ve discovered in the past 63 years: I no longer have to prove anything to anyone. And I don’t carry grudges anymore. I place value on wisdom and authenticity. And I try to live mindfully. My body may be deteriorating even though I’m giving it my best shot to keep it healthy. And that goes for my brain too. Yes, I have a few more wrinkles at age 40 or even 50, so I’ll keep slathering on skincare products to help me look my best. But my attitude has improved through the years. I’ve  let go of judgment and criticism and live purposefully, to be present, live in the moment, and not worry about the past or what could go wrong in the future. I hope you’ll join me on this journey they call aging ‘cuz it ain't for sissies! And I hope grace, strength, and beauty abound in your life.

Oscar and I wish you a lovely weekend! TGIF!