Conscious Ageing by Barbara Frances

Just before her 80th birthday, author Barbara Frances rediscovered an essay she had written nearly thirty years earlier — a letter from her fifty-year-old self, full of hope, curiosity, and wisdom. Reading it again, she was deeply moved by the woman she had been — and by how much life had changed since then.

“I was impressed with my fifty-something self,” she writes. “She was deep and optimistic. I’m grateful that I’m still here — aware, engaged, and able to look back with clarity and thanksgiving.”

In Conscious Ageing, Barbara reflects on the journey between those two selves — from the energetic, idealistic woman of midlife to the thoughtful, truth-seeking elder she has become. She explores what it means to age consciously: to face physical decline, shifting world values, and personal loss while still embracing life with awareness, gratitude, and courage.

With honesty and grace, she acknowledges the challenges of growing older in a troubled world — but also celebrates the strength that comes from experience, reflection, and acceptance.

If you’ve ever wondered how to meet the later years with presence and purpose, this beautifully written essay will speak to your heart.