Jamie Lee Curtis is turning 50 and reports that she feels better than she ever has. Perhaps it's the lessons she's gathered through her ups and downs that have primed her for this prized place in life. Here are some thoughts regarding her half-a century milestone.

• Turning 50 used to mean being put out to pasture, says Curtis. Not anymore. This leading lady feels more vibrant and is more active than ever.

• With age comes wisdom, and Curtis has wised up the the fact that she no longer needs to worry about how perfect her figure is. She encourages women to accept their bodies and the beauty of aging naturally.

• Baring her soul helps her come clean, and the now-sober Curtis says, "When you gain sobriety in the middle of your life, you're really reborn."
  
  

• As her big birthday approaches, Curtis, also an author of children's books, says she is happy to have "dropped the rock -- the rock of addiction, of family, of comparisons with other people." It's about being fit and focused and furious, she says.
  
  

Well said. And happy birthday to you.