I married in my mid-fifties. This was really a case of the stars’ being aligned, I have to say that I’d never deeply considered marriage before. But there we were, my beloved and I, at a place where we each made sense (and magic) in one another’s lives.

Marriage is, as many of you know, an interesting journey. It’s perhaps a bit more fraught when you’re both, ahem, advancing in years and stubborn, set-in-our-way folks.

But I had decided early not to have children (I was always pretty clear about it, aside from that panicked moment about 40). Interestingly, I never dated men with children. But Steve brought to our marriage two wonderful daughters. They are both fabulous and interesting women — well, what would you expect? They have interesting partners and oh-my-goodness, children.

So, me voila, a grandmother. And all my “Grannianni doesn’t do that” protestations are met with eyerolls and “here do this”es. And so, I find myself being a boat dock in a swimming pool and playing paperdolls and reveling in the crush of young bodies being cast into my arms to slump in joy or exhaustion against me.  It’s pretty grand.

It’s perhaps made it easier for me to “pick up” a few fabulous other “kids” along the way.

Stay present! You just never know where life is going. When life offers the cup, you might as well drink deep and enjoy the gift.