There is something I need to say out loud because perhaps someone else needs permission to feel it too: I think my life may have truly begun at 55. Not because my younger years were bad. They weren’t. I had youth, beauty, wonderful experiences, people who loved me, children I adore, and so many moments that mattered deeply. But if I am completely honest, I spent much of my earlier life bending gently around the wants, needs, and expectations of others. I changed plans to make