I used to give regular updates about the state of my 70-something body. I would report things like new wrinkles, more prominent veins, the flattening of my rear end and other imperfections.

Today my body is pretty stable.  My exercise regime is the same. I lift weights, stretch every day and walk whenever I can.  My weight doesn’t vary.  

What’s changed is that I don’t think about my body so much.  It’s partially because of the pandemic leading to my using no makeup and abandoning my “professional” clothes.

When I fell on the ice early in the pandemic, I knew I should do something about my bleeding lip, but I just kept on walking, and I have the scar to remind me.  A few weeks ago, I was late leaving home, and while rushing down our stairs, got a splinter from the wooden banister, and just kept on going.  Now I have an annoying bump on my thumb because I didn’t stop to remove the splinter.

It is a constant reminder that the body that has served me so well deserves a little more attention.