Maria Shriver writes in her Sunday Paper column about what Kara Lawson, Duke University women’s basketball head coach, said recently: We wait for stuff to get easier. It will never get easier. What happens is you handle hard better.” 

OMG. I love that statement!

Turning 75 is not easy. For me, it’s a difficult milestone, but the alternative is far worse. As they say, better over the hill than under it.

And my life experiences have made “the hard” somewhat easier

So here is what turning 75 years of age looks like from my vantage point:

Miralax with my first glass of water in the morning.

Lining up my very high heeled shoes to cart off to the Salvation Army Thrift Shop. 

Here’s the more practical replacements: 

The contents and titles of my file folders have also gone through some transformation. 

I used to search the world wide web for challenging hiking trails out West and hot yoga classes in my neighborhood and sales for black stiletto shoes with bright red bottoms. 

My recent internet searches reflect the growing number of decades I’ve been around:

Gel packs for arthritic knees

Chair lifts

Creams for saggy, crepey upper arms 

And yet I’m still young at heart on the inside, though my outside reflects more wear and tear.

I still recall my teenage yearnings centering on puppy love and silly crushes. And romantic images still lurk below the surface of my now much more pragmatic, but very forgetful, mind

I realized this last night while watching an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The episode ended with the song Dedicated To The One I Love.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UnLyypuGG6o

I just wanted to jump up, grab my husband and slow dance around the family room, but he had already gone upstairs to bed …..

Keep Preserving Your Bloom, 

Iris Ruth Pastor