September – my birthday month. This year, the final year of a decade for me, is a particularly difficult time because in 2022, I’ll enter a decade I’ve always considered old. I find myself frequently thinking about aging and all its consequences.

This was brought “home” to me a few days ago when, after my usual early morning walk along Ocean Avenue, I made my way to a bench at a beach entrance. I had not previously been on this particular beach, so I read the plaque on the back of the bench.