Today, while recording my “Dare Boldly: No Matter Your Age” video, I hit a snag—I couldn’t find the ‘save’ button. A few moments of bewildered consternation later, I realized I hadn’t even stopped the recording. Classic me!

After editing the video and trimming off an unintentional 30-second blooper of my perplexed voice asking the camera why the SAVE button wasn’t there, the clip miraculously fit into the perfect two-minute frame. What a happy accident!

It’s instances like these that reinforce my philosophy: don’t take life too seriously. And to do that, I must choose to joyfully embrace my imperfections and allow myself the grace to just be—without stuffing every moment with activities or obligations.

Yesterday’s wisdom came through David Kanigan’s Live & Learn blog, where he shared a poignant excerpt from Anne Lamott’s reflections on aging in the Washington Post. It spoke of the graces amidst the indignities of growing older, a balance I’m learning to appreciate.

This concept of grace was tangible for me yesterday. With a women’s circle on my schedule and a ticking clock, I decided to film my daily video while in the bath. Yeah, I know. So risqué of me!  In the end, my bathtime filming went down the drain. The sound was horrendous and after two failed attempts to get it right, I decided to simply give up the ‘need’ to post. I was facing a time crunch and when I finally realized the sound was so burbled (I really did sound like I was speaking underwater) not because there was something wrong with my phone, it was because I was covering the microphone with my finger. I know. Class me again! 😊

Anyway, in the end, I chose to give myself the grace of letting go of the self-imposed pressure of daily postings.

This decision provided me with an hour of unexpected leisure at the park with my beloved and Beaumont the Sheepadoodle. It turned into a lesson in self-compassion and finding joy over duty.

When I was younger, I rarely gave myself this kind of room. I was the harsh critic of my own mistakes, but as I’ve aged, I’ve learned to find humor in my quirks and foibles. Growing older has allowed me to be more forgiving with myself and to prioritize humanity over perfection.

It’s one of the many invaluable gifts of aging—the practice of giving ourselves grace. It’s not just about accepting our missteps with a chuckle, but also about recognizing that the spaces between our plans and obligations are where life’s little graces bloom. By choosing to laugh over lamenting, and prioritizing joy over duty, we weave a life that’s not only forgiving but also more fulfilling.

This journey of aging isn’t about the lines etched by time, but the laughter lines that come from embracing every part of our journey—bath-time video bloopers and all.

Today, I hope you dare boldly, live gracefully, and remember to hit ‘stop’ on life’s record button now and then to save those precious moments.

And, if you’d like to share your precious comments and thoughts on how and where you do give yourself grace, or perhaps need to give yourself grace, please do! We are all on this journey together and sharing our insights, lessons learned from our stumbles and bumps creates space for all of us to grow in our human beingness!