Twilight

For age is opportunity no less than youth itself, though in another dress, and as the evening twilight fades away, the sky is filled with stars, invisible by day. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Twilight is such a beautiful time of day...there's a stillness in the air. There is an understated focus, by the setting sun, on the beautiful details of nature...a tempered light that tenderly glows off of every branch and flower. This reminds me of how it feels to be getting older and wiser...to be experiencing the "more mature years" of my life. Now that I'm in my fifties, I have more moments of stillness and inner contemplation. The simple, everyday moments stand out with stark poignance, when I would not have even noticed them ten years ago. My body is aging, but I'm finding I'm more content with what lies inside. Yes, there's a quiet grief that comes with watching my physical changes...the wrinkles, the menopausal thickening, the random chin hair that suddenly sprouts out of nowhere...! But there's also a sense of surrender and relief...a knowing inside of what truly gives me value in this world. My inner spirit has become stronger, and there's a real sense of peace that comes with that.

I'm linking up with Texture Tuesday today - this week's theme is "wise words". I opted not to put text on my photos and instead include my quote within my blog post. I used Kim's "Cora" texture at Soft Light/25% in my first image. Thank you for stopping by! Wherever you are in your life journey, I hope you're being gentle with yourself.