My brother-in-law has taped signs and reminders all over the house to help my sister be as independent as possible.

Standing on a cruise ship balcony at sunrise, I decided to see what my body could still do. One leg surprised me. The other required a rescue. Aging isn’t about pretending you’re young—it’s about continuing to try, misjudging your abilities, and laughing anyway. I’ll take the sore hip for that moment of wondering: how high can I lift my leg?