On February 1, I  joined Caitlin Boyle and Molly Barker (and others!) in their Naked Face Project.    These women make a HUGE ripple in this river o’ life.  Among many other things, Caitlin is the founder of Operation Beautiful.  And among many other things, Molly is the founder of Girls on the Run.  I invite you to read Caitlin’s and Molly’s motivations and observations in their respective blogs.

My motivation is this ~  I want to pay attention to what I HAVE BEEN paying a lot of attention to re: how I look to others AND how that makes me feel about myself.

After my 21st birthday, the next one I looked forward to was my 50th.   And it was everything I wanted and more.   Now that I’m a few weeks from my 54th  birthday, the next birthday I’m looking forward to is my 80th.

This aging thing ROCKS.    The wrinkles and smiles that helped create them; the sags and chocolate that helped create them;  the heartbreaks and love that helped create them; and the disappointments and hope that helped create them.  They all ROCK.

I know I’m not alone in celebrating aging.  This weekend, I saw a great FB post from my childhood friend Donna.  She posted this picture.

Her comment with it read, “I made pumpkin pie and Madeline cut it up ( nobody around ) to practice fractions. In my 30’s it would be frustrating. In my 50’s it is just a hoot.”

Donna’s always been wise.  She’s even wiser now.

Things that used to seem HUGE no longer do.   Things that once seemed so small I never noticed them  are now large and powerful enough to stop me in my tracks.     Lately, (most of the time) I get that worry is wasted energy AND that I’ve never met a Stargazer lily that isn’t worth my very direct attention.

Aging has a holy way of making EvErYtHiNg appear to be the same size.  Everything just is what it is.

An 89-year-old friend of mine recently celebrated his 40th year of sobriety. When I asked how he felt about that he said

He was right.

And so was Donna.

Every time I look in a mirror or down at my hairy legs or at my product-free hair,  Naked Face is helping me remember pay attention to what IS a big deal – the wisdom, beauty and grace of what’s around me.

How do you pay attention to The Big Deals in your life?