Monáe's Musings | Fabulous and Fortunate Podcast

I re-read a post I made a little over two years ago on here today after I woke up. As I look at the vulnerability and prose used, I am amazed at how open I was even then. The aunt mentioned, in particular, has since passed away since the writing of the original post. The lessons reflected here are even more impactful now.

Aging and its implications have come up more and more in my conversations with others. Whether it’s a diva in her 80s divulging to me how she used to never want to age, yet has now come to accept it. What is it about aging that makes us want to cringe sometimes? Do we not awe at the grand oak that has lived to see hundreds of years? Are we not delighted to joy by how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly – spreading its wings only after weeks spent preparing for its re-emergence? How do we see aging as a beautiful treat in other living things yet sometimes fail to see it in ourselves? Aging is a gift. The ability to add years of wisdom, life experience, and perspective to a living experience is a treasure to behold. I love it and think it’s absolutely magical. When I was a little younger, I wondered how I would feel about aging and getting older. It is something that takes up so much space in our minds. With the birthdays, the media, and the reminders.

It is okay to age. It is a beautiful experience to get up again and add another year to life. So much of what we have is taken for granted. The warm bed, the water, the ability to read or write, the ability to age. Let today be the day we don’t take another breath for granted. Let us honor our body as it ages and continues to give us a vessel to experience life from.

Amen.