"Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength." ~Betty Freidan

Today I am feeling my age. It doesn't happen often. I usually feel younger than my chronological age. But today, my legs are uncooperative, and every part of my body aches.

Today I feel 53. The past few days have been rainy; I am sure my body knows it. Downing Advil and Tylenol aren't alleviating my symptoms.

My new MS specialist advised he does not believe in the condition known as Fibromyalgia, something I was diagnosed with in addition to MS.  So, is it Fibro, MS, or simply being 53?

"You can't help getting older, but you don't have to get old." ~George Burns

After reading Jon Kabat-Zinn's book, Mindfulness for Beginners, I inwardly recited his mantra," Until you stop breathing, there's more right with you than wrong with you." More right with you than wrong with you. I like that – simple and accurate.

"Do not regret growing old. It is a privilege denied to many." ~Anonymous

When we begin to dwell on our ailments – the ones we inevitably feel as we pass the half-century mark - we wonder if this ache or that twitch is the one that will begin our downward spiral. One reader on About.com/Senior Living said about aging: "I wonder what we would "feel" like if we didn't know how old we are. I think societal norms and expectations regarding age heavily influence us. So I try not to think about the actual number of my age."

Now that I'm past 50, I've finally realized I am in charge of my destiny. I now embrace my age by loving my actions and who I am. Life after child rearing, menopause, and (almost) college tuition can be an exciting and rewarding time.

Life after 50 comes down to this: dwell on what is wrong or treasure what is right. I can't walk long distances, so I bike instead. I can't do aerobics, so I take gentle yoga classes. It's all about embracing who you are, using your many abilities, and maintaining a positive attitude.

"When grace is joined with wrinkles, it is adorable. There is an unspeakable dawn in happy old age." ~Victor Hugo

I've always been a glass-half-full kind of girl. That philosophy has served me well. It can do the same for you.

I recently read an article by Barbara Hannah Grufferman, author and columnist for AARP, entitled "5 Infuriating Fibs About Women Over 50." (Do yourself a favor and read it!) As I read the article, I found myself nodding in agreement. The line that truly gave me an "Aha!" moment was, "Don't fight your age. Embrace it. Whatever it is." Sage advice.

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