Adventures in Aging
Does the idea of aging give you anxiety? These women are embracing their ages and see getting older as an adventure.

Photo: Albert Sanchez
"I have no problem being 53. Why would I want to be 35 again? I want to discover who I am in my 50s. And if I tried too hard to look younger, it would seem that I was uncomfortable with who I am, wouldn't it?"
— Ellen Barkin
— Ellen Barkin

"The surface, the superficial, the way one looks has become valued too highly in our society. When the skin begins to sag, many women go for Botox. Why on earth would you let somebody stick a needle in your face just to get rid of a wrinkle? Here's the real question: What do we have to do to place more value on age? We have to value ourselves not for what we look like or the things we possess but for the women we are. The most important thing I can tell you about aging is this: If you really feel that you want to have an off-the-shoulder blouse and some big beads and thong sandals and a dirndl skirt and a magnolia in your hair, do it. Even if you're wrinkled."
— Dr. Maya Angelou
— Dr. Maya Angelou

Photo: Ruven Afanador
"I just try to do my best to look good—get enough sleep, stay healthy, have fun with makeup—then forget about it! If you obsess about your looks, it kills your spirit."
— Lauren Hutton
— Lauren Hutton

Photo: Fabrizio Ferri
"Someone told my granddaughter—who calls me D.D.—that she looked like her mother, and she said proudly, 'No, I have D.D.'s legs!'"
—Diane von Furstenber g, on the nicest thing someone's ever said about her looks
—Diane von Furstenber g, on the nicest thing someone's ever said about her looks

"I have found, for myself, that the best secret to aging is about your attitude. I think it's how you feel about yourself at any given moment—if you're in love with yourself, if you feel that you have [something] to offer to yourself, your family and the world."
— Oprah
How are you embracing the adventure of aging? Tell us your story—it may be chosen for an upcoming feature!
— Oprah
How are you embracing the adventure of aging? Tell us your story—it may be chosen for an upcoming feature!
Published 10/09/2009