I saw my aunt this weekend. I always admired her growing up: she was a dedicated dancer, bird watcher, traveler, and general arts-enjoyer. I took up ballet and piano because I wanted to be just like her.

I just found out that she started all of those hobbies after she got sober in her 40s, shortly before I was born. Her defining characteristics, in my eyes, have occupied less than half of her life.

It was a nice reminder that you can start a new chapter of your life whenever you’d like.