Book excerpt: Loretta LaRoche has delighted readers, audiences, and PBS television viewers with her wacky and wise insights about life, love, and the insanity of the modern world. In her most deeply personal book, Loretta addresses the most exciting challenge that we all face—one that she now finds herself facing every day: How do we age well? And can humor, dignity, honesty, wisdom, and other virtues ease the path? Our society is youth obsessed: Beauty products, special exercises, designer vitamins, plastic surgery, and certain medications are promoted as "the" ways to enhance life. While these formulas may have some merit, they’re not enough to prepare us to have a rich, authentic life filled with passion and juiciness. Why do we wait until we’re almost dead before we focus on how to age well? Every school system in the country should be preparing us for the inevitable process of aging and how to do it well. Our parents, our schools, and the media should all be teaching us that aging is a process that begins at birth . . . not something to be feared and avoided. Those who continue to be hardy and live long and healthy lives understand that the real path to vitality requires connection, playfulness, flexibility, grace, tenacity, resiliency, curiosity, learning, and good humor. With her trademark humor and practical wisdom, Loretta tackles how to live a long, healthy, juicy life—using herself and many of her friends and mentors as metaphors. Filled with practical advice, lifestyle skills, wisdom, and spirituality, Kick Up Your Heels . . . is a mental health spa that will inspire you and your family to live with joy, harmony, and peace while you still have the time!