Before I Get Old and Wrinkly opens with the powerful story of a portrayal of one ordinary woman's life and how she learnt to find peace within herself amongst the incredible turbulence of a succession of traumas and heartbreak. Written to help anyone who is on the brink of questioning the quality of their own lives, Sheila Steptoe highlights key issues that facilitate this questioning process. She conveys especially the importance for us all to ensure that we truly understand the significance of getting to know our family and friends properly as people instead of merely taking their presence for granted. The result, as the book describes, leads to a deeper understanding of ourselves as well as an appreciation of how crucial family and friends are to us — something that is so easily overlooked, and then regretted when it becomes too late. Despite the distress of life-threatening illness, death and excruciating family separation, the ultimate message in this book is a deeply positive one about learning to forgive, patience and, above all, awakening. The practical approach of the second half of the book opens the door for the reader to apply such essential questions to their own life situation and benefit from the valuable insights contained within these pages. Sheila Steptoe is a young grandmother who is not yet old inside or out! She is still living life to the full.
