Don’t Wait Until You’re 95

My Nana is 95-years-old. But, if you ask her how old she is, she’ll tell you that she’s 96. She thinks it makes her sound “wiser.” For real.

Ever since she turned 90, she’s been adding on a year to her real age.

One time she told me she was two years older than she actually was. Because she was so used to the rounding up by a year, and she still liked adding on a year to sound “wiser.”

This has led me to double checking her driver’s license for her real age more than once. Just to be sure when taking her to doctor’s appointments and filling out paperwork.

Regardless, I digress…

Just a few weeks ago, we were sitting at her kitchen table. She was looking at an old photo of herself. In which she was in her late thirties.

She held up the photo in her hand, her eyes wide, and said, “Wow. That’s me? I can’t believe how beautiful I used to be. Funny thing I never realized it at the time. I never thought I was pretty. I always thought I was unattractive.”

She then put the photo down. I could feel her brief moment of regret. And she calmly said, “Please don’t wait until you’re 95 to realize you were beautiful. You’ll regret it.”

I looked at her and said, “You know, you’re beautiful now too.”

And that’s what I want you to know too.

Because no one should have to wait until they’re 95 to realize that they were – and ARE – beautiful in so many different ways.

So, please do me a favor and start now.

Because life is too short. And you’ve got too much life to live to think you’re anything less.

And when you’re 95, you’re not going to care about wrinkles, cellulite, what “they” said, your jean size,”likes,” or the job you didn’t get.

You’re going to care about how you showed up in this world. How you loved and were loved. How you went after the things that truly mattered. How you stood up for what you believed in. How you spoke your truth. How you made time for others.

Because that’s some pretty beautiful stuff. In fact, it’s the most beautiful stuff.

And you’re going to look back at all you’re old photographs and think you looked pretty good, just as you were.

So, take this as your reminder to not wait until you’re 95 to say you were beautiful and kind and amazing and you cared.

And if you’re 95 (or 96, as my Nana may say) and reading this, I want you to know you’re beautiful now too.

With lots of love & a great big hug XXO,
Corinne