Are you learning to love your body? Do you really appreciate your body now that you are in your 60s? This are the questions posed in a beautiful article written by one of our Sixty and Me bloggers, Elizabeth Dunkel.

In it, she says that her body has “Walked everywhere, run on beaches, hiked on mountains, skied and skated. It has walked cities, strolled through museums and sat in cathedrals and concerts around the world.”

After returning from a trip to Bali, I asked myself the same questions and came up with a similar list of superlatives. It is only recently that I have learned to appreciate and love my body. I am ready now to be grateful and take responsibility for the decisions that made my body what it is today.

Are You, Like Me, Learning to Love Your Body in Your 60s?

Like Elizabeth, my body enabled me to live my life with a fabulous spirit of adventure and curiosity.

My legs carried me to so many cities, where I explored, danced and celebrated. Every new place brought me new perspectives and fresh ideas.

On these journeys, my eyes let me see the beauty of the natural world and my heart was able to feel the abundance of this amazing planet. My heart also made it possible to enjoy and embrace gorgeous, complex friends and strangers who have given my life such depth.

My ears allowed me to hear music and appreciate the magical sounds of brilliantly creative souls. They let me enjoy the laughs and questions and love of my two beautiful sons.

My body carried my children, fed them and, hopefully, inspired them with my determination to live life with passion, compassion and purpose.

My arms gave me the gift of a thousand hugs, including those of wonderful friends and a beautiful grandson.

Today, my body carries rich memories of a life, so precious and rare.

Even understanding how wonderful my body is, I am still learning to accept and love it. Do you feel the same about your body?

Are the Women in Our Community Learning to Love Their Bodies?

The women in our community often talk about the aches and pains they experience in their 60s. Many women have even had to deal with intense physical hardship or a serious illness.

At the same time, all of us have a lot to be grateful for when it comes to our bodies. We have done some amazing things!

To get a better understanding of how the women in our community feel about their bodies, I recently posted this question on Facebook. Here are a few of their answers.

Marcia – My body gave me a great life. But, most of all, it gave me the most wonderful son that I could ever hope for.

Renee – My body has given me 2 children. It has recovered from cancer twice. It has let me take care of my father. It has given me joy and sadness.

Fran – My body has taken me through a great childhood. It was taken me through baton lessons and let me march in parades. Then it took me down the aisle to marry the man I love. It has given me 2 kids and 5 grandkids… with one more due in August.

Julie – My body has given me a beautiful daughter, although that was via an emergency caesarean. It has allowed me to experience so much fun through sports, especially hockey.

Christine – My body has given me 14 children. I’m 2 stone overweight, but, I’m working on it. I’m lucky because I’m very healthy.

Sue – My body has delivered 4 wonderful children! It has run, jumped, climbed, ridden, cycled, swum, skated, danced, done yoga, relaxed, loved and lived to the full. Oh yes… it did all these things whilst attacking itself – I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis at age 17. But I lived and thrived!

Sue – My body carried my soul.

Suzanne – My body carried and gave birth to 2 babies. It has functioned my entire life without pain – other than occasional aches that eventually go away. My body responded beautifully when I asked it to carry and play with my children, haul heavy objects, rake, chop, till the earth, plant gardens, run half-marathons and make love. I have no complaints. However, I would like to lose 20 pounds!

Val – My body has amazed me! I started ballroom and Latin dancing a few months ago, just to see if I could. My balance isn’t great but my body has stepped up to the plate and, now, I’m whirring and twirling.

Pauline – My body kept me going! It gave me two beautiful girls. My body gave me love and laughter and some hard times too!

Suzanne – My body ran a half-marathon in my mid-60s. We girls can do anything!

Julie – My body has shown me how to feel pain so that I can empathize with others. I’m not a super model, but, I am very grateful for the body I have been given.

Joan – Today, my body used a push mower, pruned, ripped out beds of decorative strawberries, lily of valley, phlox and weeded. I am proud of what my body can do!

Liz – I danced in the 70s, gave birth in the 80s and worked long hours in the 90s. Now, in retirement, my body has cycled, walked, run and played with grandkids.

I don’t know about you, but, I find these responses so inspiring. Our bodies truly are amazing and we should be grateful for them!

Are you learning to love your body in your 60s or 70s? What has your body done for you over the years? Please join the conversation.