"That's all she said, but what I got from that was even in her practical-minded way, that you're never ready. And I don't think that she was done living. It just comes, and then life is over," Obama said. "I was like, 'Let me hear that. Let me understand that, that even with a wonderful life, I want to be present.'"
"This is the first time in my life where every single decision I make is mine. It's what I want to do," she said. "What do I want, what do I feel? This is the first time that I've been able to do that for me, no excuses. That means that the consequences are mine, too, and there's a freedom with that."
A final exchange with her mother focused on the quickness of life when her mother leaned over and said, "Life." That exchange reframed the approach to growing older and inspired a determination to be present. Entering her 60s brought increased mindfulness about how time is spent and an emphasis on choosing activities that align with personal desires. After decades of prioritizing family and public life, every current decision is personal, with ownership of both choices and consequences. The perspective includes acknowledging limited summers ahead — roughly thirty if life extends to 90 — and treating each as valuable.
Read at Business Insider
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