The girl in the picture is seven years old, and the woman is 61. The years in between have been filled with learning and unlearning.  I’ve started to age. It’s inevitable, and nothing truly prepared me for it. One day, you’re a lively adolescent, and the next, you wake up with stiff joints. Now in my salt-and-pepper years, I’ve come to accept certain bitter and hard truths about life, especially regarding relationships.  I no longer try to impress others. You’re free to like me or not. My circle of friends has shrunk, and I’m okay with that. I cherish the few good friends who stay with me through thick and thin.   I’ve realised that judging others is unfair. Everyone lives through different and possibly tough situations. Showing empathy is the way forward.   Age brings wrinkles, aches, and nostalgia, but it also brings wisdom and mellowness. I try not to complain but focus on my blessings. Good health is a blessing at any age, but as I gr...

  Young at Heart: Living with Intention     My mother-in-law made a conscious decision to stay young at heart, and until she passed away at 91, she was cooking, attending church services, participating in church activities, and practising yoga. There were a few ailments, but she never let them deter her from living life to the fullest as much as was possible. At 61, I try to use my mother-in-law as a role model and not give in to the limitations that aging brings. Staying “young at heart” doesn’t mean clinging to youth. It means making a conscious decision to remain joyful, curious, and open. Ageing is inevitable, but how we view the ageing process is a conscious choice we make. Some feel weighed down, while others choose to embrace each year with intention and adventure.   What does it mean to be young at heart?   ·       Choosing to laugh freely and often because laughter is the best medicine. ·    ...