05/11/2026
This weekend a fun friend of mine had a “wear something special you’ve only worn once” party. So the dress I wore to my son’s bar mitzvah 10 years ago was officially called out of retirement.
A few observations from 2016 vs. 2026:
1. The dress still fit.
𝘛𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺.
Emotionally, it fit very differently.
2. Ten years ago I had a professional makeup artist.
This year it was me, a magnifying mirror, determination, and thank God for Makeup Erasers because… it took awhile.
3. The biggest difference?
The “flat” but not actually completely flat boots.
Ten years ago I wore them without thinking twice. This time, with my CMT and AFOs (leg braces hidden under the boots), I noticed every second of balancing, walking, leaning, and strategically finding places to sit. I can still do it… just not as effortlessly.
But maybe getting older, especially getting older with a disability, isn’t about doing everything the same way you used to. Maybe it’s about continuing to show up anyway — differently, slower, wiser, more appreciative, and still fully yourself.
So if your Monday body, brain, confidence, energy, or season of life feels different than it used to… you’re not alone.
We’re all learning how to keep moving forward in bodies and lives that keep changing on us. And that doesn’t make us weak. It makes us human.
