Essay by ~liz Sorensen Wessel
If aging is an inevitable course of living and if I happen to live a long life, then my hope is that I might do so gracefully. I once thought I’d like to live to be a hundred, but more recently I’ve decided that the quality of my life is much more desirable than quantity. My late friend Claudia once said to me, “Liz, I’m not afraid of dying; it is the loss of my independence that scares me.”
I wonder, what does it mean to live grace-fully?
Here's one definition of grace as defined in the dictionary, “To get a better perspective, seemingly effortless beauty or charm of movement or proportion".
Immediately, the woman who comes to mind is my mom. Through my years, I’ve watched her emulate a most amazing grace that is both understated and unassuming while manifesting a rare but simple Beauty. Aging for my mom has unfolded quite naturally. I like that she never felt a need to dye her hair nor was she lured by cosmetic promises to a fountain of youth. I’ve admired the way in which she continually greets life with acceptance of the good, the heartbreak, the challenges; the harder still.
My precious mom, Elizabeth Dorothea Sorensen or best known to her kin as "Lilla" and her friends as "Lee" will be 96 years old on February 17. Although of late she is encountering physical challenges she perseveres in her steadfast independence, doing for herself as best she can.
I wish to share this prayer by Joyce Rupp coupled with this marvelous video of a woman by the name of Maia. Her friend created this video in honor of her 95th birthday. I learned that they met on a plane and that Maia was once a Russian ballet dancer. She and her mom used to exercise with dance movements together long before it became popular. As I watched her graceful movements, I experienced a spark of renewed optimism for our human potential to Live Gracefully.
Watercolor by ~liz
