Why does life seem to get more complicated as we grow older? You would think God would have arranged things so the business of living became easier as we aged. Our ‘Sunset Years’ should be spent enjoying each moment; not a care in the world. That’s not the way it works.

The added responsibilities of being alive pile up like deli meat on a Dagwood sandwich, threatening to choke the spontaneity from the simplest activity. It starts early in adulthood. Our cute little pocketbook turns into a PURSE when our children are young.

We need more room to hold our MOMMA STUFF. No more hopping in the car with a twenty in our pockets. We needed to be ready for any eventuality—from sticky hands to stinky bottoms.

In a blink, that changes. Our kids get older and wouldn’t be caught dead letting MOM carry THEIR things in HER purse. But don’t worry.

By this time, we have started our own collection of ‘must haves’ to fill those newly-empty zippers and pockets. Glasses. They start out as a cool accessory, a little extra visual boost to eyes that really CAN see, but just get tired now and then.

We slip a pair of readers into our purse, almost as an afterthought. Just in case. But in a myopic blink of an aging eye, those glasses become our lifeline to the alphabetically-driven world.

Without them, the words on a menu look like fuzzy spaghetti. Phone numbers all look the same: 8338833388. We have to squint to read price tags.

If we leave the house without our glasses, we go back to g.