This summer I turned 65, and it took me by surprise.  I’m officially a senior citizen now, but I don’t feel like one, and people (kindly) tell me I don’t look like one either. I feel fortunate to live in a day and age when social media sights, like Instagram, are filled with positive images of older age.

In my twenties, I was invited to pose for Playboy. It was a heady experience to be among the many beautiful women who had been featured in the magazine and, for many years, that experience defined me. But, determined to grow beyond that, I immersed myself in my career as a funeral director, focusing on others. When a family characterizes me as a “beautiful person” (in the spiritual sense) who has helped get them through the worst of times, with empathy and compassion, I am humbled. That is the beauty I strive for and look for in others. Through my work as a writer, I am always on the lookout for assignments which allow me give voice to other “beautiful” women whose spirits shine through, as they live purposeful and inspiring lives. That, to me, is the true definition of timeless beauty.