I never thought I'd feel this way about growing older

I was going to grow old gracefully.  I pictured myself looking younger than my years, dispensing sage advice, and in general making the whole process look (not to mention feel) painless.  That's how I pictured it anyway.  Enter reality.  While I still feel I look okay 'for my age', there really is no way to stop time and the havoc that hormones and gravity wreak on a person.