Wrinkles Are a Privilege

There was a time in my life—almost a decade—when I was seriously ill. When I was first diagnosed, the prognosis was grim. I was deteriorating quickly and it seemed as though I had about three years to live.

Three years.

That kind of news does something to you. It confronted me with a deep, aching loss: the loss of a future I had assumed was guaranteed. I wasn’t just grieving the life I might lose; I was also grieving the life I hadn’t lived yet. I found myself longing for the chance to grow old, to earn the signs of aging that so many people dread. I wanted to live long enough to get wrinkles.

Now, years later, I’m still here. I’m older. And yes—I have the wrinkles I once wished for.

Do I love them? Not really. But I respect them. They’re proof of survival. Proof of time lived. Of lessons learned. Of strength found in places I didn’t know existed. My wrinkles are a privilege. They are a visible record of all the years I thought I might not have.

So what does this have to do with leadership?

Everything.

Leadership—true leadership—isn’t about perfection or polish. It’s about experience, perspective, and showing up even when things are uncertain or hard. It’s about bearing the marks of life—wrinkles and all—and using them to lead with empathy, wisdom, and humility.

In a world that feels increasingly chaotic, where the future feels fragile, the resilience we carry in our bodies and our stories matters more than ever. We are moved by leaders who have weathered storms, who bring not just vision, but depth.

So here’s to the lines on our faces and the stories they carry.

Wrinkles are a privilege. And so is leading from a place of lived truth.

What wisdom have you gained from your hard seasons? In these chaotic times, how will you choose to lead?