I'm on my second parent with Alzheimer's disease, and it's not only dreadfully disheartening to watch them go through it and bloody hard work to be a caregiver, but also a frightening prospect for my brother and me to think about in terms of our own aging.

It's true that there are nasty things out there that can grab us as we age, despite our best efforts. But it's also up to us to do what we can to avoid as many of them as possible--to control what we CAN control. And while aging brings on more concerns of this kind, I also find it liberating in many ways. I'm less concerned about what others think of me, less interested in trends, more forgiving with family and friends, and more connected with my own needs and desires. Life's too short to waste time being joyless!