As I'm preparing swiss chard, I think of something so profound! (Haha) The swiss chard was beautiful when I bought it last Tuesday at the co-op. Now, as I get ready to cook it, five days later, I'm finding little black spots and things that need to be removed. This is the way of nature, of all things as that age. We too start out beautiful. As we age things happen. Muscles weaken, skin wrinkles and sags, we require surgery and makeup. Now you need to look harder to find the beauty. Look deeper.

I look at young people today and remark at their beauty. Too bad so few of them realize this gift. If they only knew they might take themselves less seriously. How upset they become when a love affair goes wrong! Youth and beauty make a world of possibilities. It's like the saying about getting too soon old and too late smart , or however it goes. But I do think that age makes us appreciate life more. Knowing that it won't last forever, and guess what? we're not immortal, is a powerful bit of knowledge. Then we can be thankful that we've reached this point as unscathed as we are. Occasionally,when I see or hear something that's beautiful I realize that I'm lucky to experience it, that there will be a time when this isn't possible. Enough profundity, for the moment. Back to the swiss chard.