Dear Reader,

Anti-aging hypes and scams are reaching fever pitch as baby boomers head for their golden years; after all, it’s a multi-billion dollar business! The promise is that we can stop or reverse the aging process and regain our youthful looks and vigor—if we just empty our wallets for the latest greatest hormone, vitamin, herb, exercise gadget or fat-sucking and expression-erasing plastic surgery.

We baby boomers have made so many things politically incorrect. Let’s make aging politically correct. Let’s make it politically correct to have the beautiful facial expressions of aging, especially smile lines. Let’s consider making it OK to have jiggly upper arms, a bit of belly fat and gray hair. Can we surrender our inevitable loss of youth with grace and graciousness? Can we admire and appreciate youthful beauty without envy or regret?

It makes no sense to be anti-aging. We’re born, we age, we die. What happens after that is debatable. Hopefully while we age we make the most of life’s journey. It’s worthwhile to be as healthy as we possibly can while we age, but to be against aging, and the natural processes that go with it, is a terrible waste of money, energy and attention. It’s like being against the setting sun or the falling leaves. The true keys to optimal aging are free—friendship, laughter, compassion, understanding and tolerance (especially of ourselves).