64 Comments
Sep 25Liked by Sari Botton

"I like – no, I LOVE – my body. What a beautiful thing it is; how well it’s served me. I wash my face at night, wash the day (and the years) away, and remember to be tender. I trust my body to know how to heal, to tell me what’s true, to guide me."

"Trust" seems to be the through line in this beautifully written piece. Just turned 71, in the past four years have lost three of the closest women in my life, and am trying to navigate the future through a forward-looking prism. Grief often weighs me down. Trying to remember trusting myself is key to living and loving life one day at a time. It would be so easy to wallow in self-pity and take on the woe is me mentality. Your relatable words touched me. Thank you for some prescient reminders. Here's to aging well!

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"I like the view from here. It’s gorgeous." Here's to Kelly, and the wide-open, hair-blown-back, true to herself life she's lived and is still living. I, too, have felt palpably older since I turned 60 almost seven years ago. And, like her, I've leaned into my own power, self-realization, and presence--and started letting some things go. Seen from that vantage point, life is amazing!

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Loved this line about turning 60: "an inexplicable surge of personal power, confidence, and self-realization." Amen to that.

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author

Very inspiring to me, a person about to turn 59 and a little freaked out about the birthday after that!

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Great interview. I just turned 70 and having a great time having both a parent still alive, able and lucidly looking at 99, children in their 40s and one grandchild old enough to vote. So in relationships, it’s a rich time. I just posted a song I wrote called “seventy” on SoundCloud. Since 65, I’ve been more productive artistically - having spend 40 years before focusing on being a technocrat. Finding things once neglected inside oneself is great about this era. Finding out you can injure and break things more easily, not so much fun, but still … thanks for the great post.

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Byron, i tried to find it, but can't. there are a couple of untitled songs, but nothing comes up when i search seventy.

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This is one of my favorite Oldster interviews.

I turned 50 this year, and Kelly’s words validate the surprising difficulty of navigating this transition through the life span. And then, she goes on to build a lighthouse from her perspective, demonstrating all the ways that aging is actually aspirational. I feel hopeful!

Turning 50 surprised me. I never anticipated a negative reaction to a birthday (knowing that being alive is a privilege in itself).

There is so much reflection and self awareness in this piece and it feels generous and illuminating.

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Thank you, Jen. The best is yet to come. 🌻🫶

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What a rocking life, Kelly, and look where you have landed! The cool chick is still rockin’. Thanks Sari. One of my favourites.

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author

Glad you enjoyed this!

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Yes she is, that’s my mama

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founding

“Remember to be tender” to your self and others—even in your bad-ass decade. There’s always room for tenderness.

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author

Yes!

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Sep 25Liked by Sari Botton

Gorgeous interview, Kelly! It's exciting and inspiring to see how you have come even more into your own, in your own personalized way, in the years since we met! <3

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🫶 what a long strange trip, huh? 😍

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Sep 25Liked by Sari Botton

Oh, how this spoke to me ❤️

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I loved this. Kelly, you ARE a rock star. I also love your expanded list of questions, Sari, and am looking forward to reading more respondent's answers to them.

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author

Thanks, Asha!!!

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I’ve loved all these questionnaires and responses (so inspiring, encouraging, and heartwarming) and didn’t think they needed new questions, but I was wrong. I love the new questions, too.

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Wow! What a lovely attitude you live with, Kelly. Congratulations on living a great turn this time. LIFE must be so proud of you.

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This is so lovely. Thanks for leading the way! I'm 61 and trying not to freak out :)

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It’s like shedding a skin; you’ll rock it.

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Great read! Thanks for reminding us to take responsibility without shame!

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Oooh that hit good! Thanks Ann!

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Sep 25Liked by Sari Botton

So very inspiring 💜. Thank you for sharing you.

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Sep 25Liked by Sari Botton

Congrats, this is badass! I love what you say about your body, accepting it, caring for it, and loving it. And I'm totally checking out that tat IG!

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Sep 25Liked by Sari Botton

I love this and I love Kelly.

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author

<3

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