Smoking Diary #23: Memorial Day and the Competition With Your Younger Self

by Sarah Hepola

Which will you choose?

We take letters! Today’s comes from a listener who asks:

I read recently that Jodie Foster said a nice thing about being in her 60s is she no longer feels in competition with her old self. I love that. Shortly after being changed forever by her words, I looked at old photos of myself and my mind leapt to plans about returning to my natural hair color and to get back into running (which, no, my birthday present to myself at 50 was to admit I hated running and would never do it again. The best birthday gift to myself ever!). I am definitely team Jodie Foster but I hate that I feel the pull to team Martha Stewart so often. I know, Sarah, you're way too young to worry about it much but I'd love to hear your thoughts on aging well, maybe even embracing it!

Our solo audio riff covers the topics of female brain disease, the beauty-industrial complex, sexualizing women’s bodies (pro or con?), a size-four prom dress still hanging in the closet, and what it means to age gracefully, if that’s even a thing.

Prom, 1992, age 17. Still have this dress in my closet, bless my heart.