keep starting over every day

Like many women of, I’ll call it retirement age, I’ve slowly gained weight year after year, decade after decade, until a day came when I found myself truly surprised at the number on my bathroom scale. My doctor and I agreed that I should lose some weight. So, after a few dispirited starts and stops, I sincerely applied myself to the task this past summer. I’m happy to report that I’ve let go of about 15 pounds and I feel better in many ways.

Then I went away for a long weekend in the Berkshires with my four sisters. So, between the two outstanding home-made dinners in, along with the third excellent dinner out; the glasses of delicious Rhone wine with those dinners (the first I’ve had in months); the fresh soft cheese we took home and ate with crackers for appetizers from the farm where we had superb freshly-made ice cream; and the various tastes of chocolate, nuts, homemade cookies and other treats we all brought,  I am sure that when I step on that scale tomorrow morning, I’ll have gained back a few of those pounds. And that’s okay. I’ll start over tomorrow.

And, I shouldn’t have tried to solve Wordle during breakfast because the conversation was much more engaging than the puzzle, and I lost my winning streak. That’s okay. I’ll start over tomorrow.

Being neither the oldest nor youngest in the span of 16 years that separates those two, my sisters and I are all – roughly – women of that age. And with that comes a lot of experience and a lot of wisdom. Things that bothered me years ago, like regaining pounds or blowing my Wordle winning streak, are so much easier to let go of now. I’ll just start over tomorrow. It’s not that I’ve lost my commitment to better health or a sharper mind. Those remain. But the care, company and respect of those I love is more precious as I age. It is one of the curious benefits that comes with the well-known and often discussed detriments of aging. As each one of us manages the psychological, social and physical changes we experience, if we’re lucky, we learn to focus more on the present. Present company. Present blessings. Present happiness. We learn more deeply the wisdom of being here now.

And we know that interruptions happen but that only hours away, there will be another day that presents us with a new opportunity to start something again. Be sure to hold yourself accountable and to strive for what you desire. But, always – always – be sure to be present for the blessings right in front of you. Don’t miss out on your life.

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9/29/2025