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Beyond the fact that it is inevitable, growing old isn’t easy in any fashion. While I certainly have moments of feeling frustrated by changes in my skin, brain and body, most days I feel pretty comfortable with the process. I think it helps that I try to remain aware that most of the women presented as my peers in years in films, on television and in magazines have caved to the pressure of trying to remain young looking with the help of fillers, injections and surgery.

Like the Oscar award winning actress, with her untouched face, MFA from Yale, and 4 decade long marriage, who dined in the restaurant where I work recently, I choose to honor and respect achievements far beyond an unlined face.

There are some aspects of aging, though, that I do not appreciate. Let me share a handful of them…

1. Pain in my knees and hips when crouching, kneeling and sometimes walking.
2. Post menopausal weight gain.
3. My diminishing physical strength.
4. The degree to which seeing road kill crushes me.
5. Awareness that my future activities may have to be modified to suit my abilities.

As always, though, I try to keep my focus on things I appreciate, even when it comes to aging. Here are some that quickly come to mind.

1. A growing understanding that I am unwilling to not have ice cream or chocolate or a glass of wine for the sake of wearing a size 2.
2. An increasing ease with spontaneously buying plane tickets to explore new places.
3. The urge to pare down my possessions and the ability to follow through on the impulse.
4. The ability to speak up when I’m displeased or unsatisfied with a purchase I’ve made.
5. Being able to witness my children growing up. I find them so much more interesting these days!
6. Long term friendships with people to whom you don’t have to explain who you are because they know already.
7. The realization that forgiving people for past transgressions is a gift to myself as much as it is to them.
8. An appreciation of how lucky I am to have the life I live.

I can’t imagine a time when I won’t fully celebrate another lap around the sun. I mean, seriously, there’s no greater present, is there?