A day late with this one, but I think of birthdays as seasons of appreciation rather than a single day. This is the season for appreciating Julia Child, who would have turned 100 yesterday.
In celebration, Google posted this wonderful doodle
and I can’t stop watching/listening to this tremendous remix posted by PBS.
I think what I love most about this video (aside from the super catchy tune and the part where Julia says that you need fat in your diet so your body can absorb vitamins) is how we can watch her age over the years in these clips. Though she clearly physically declines, she still remains completely vital in spirit. I believe that Julia is a model for adaptive aging: to have something or things we are truly passionate about, and with which we can find a way to continue to be involved, no matter what our functionality level (you’ll notice toward the end Julia is observing and guiding as her assistant cooks.) Our passion for what we love inspires younger people to remain close to us, and I think that is essential as we age as well – to be a person interested in, and of interest to, younger people.