Thanks for the engagement, BG! I agree that our bodies are amazingly adaptable and I do realize that adjustments will enable me to extend the arrival of the "last" in some cases. As I noted in the piece, part of what prompted this realization was simply the fact that I could no longer do what I always could without some sort of adjustment. But on the whole, I think, I am looking for a way to accept these changes without constant resistance, and certainly without resentment. It's a balance, to be sure, and I appreciate the way that you articulate out the needed counterweight to a passive shoulder-shrug of resignation. I'm still figuring it out, but I'm leaning toward a wish to celebrate those "last times" a bit more and mourn them a bit less.

Thank you for reading and responding.