First of all, I hope everyone who is a mother of any kind (bio-, adoptive-, step-) had a lovely day yesterday. I certainly did. My son who lives far away phoned me and sent me lovely messages and gifts, and my two teenagers who are still at home graciously came up to Lake Winnipeg with me and my husband, gave me gifts and posed for selfies with me. I could not ask for more.
Apropos of motherhood, or the biological potential thereof, I’m having a fun time trying to figure out a proper word for us post-fertile ladies, and maybe you can help me with it, whether you fall into that category or not.
There don’t seem to be too many non-pejorative words for us, once we’ve stepped out of the baby-making business (whether we actually made babies or not). Sages, crones, older women, post-menopausal women (so clinical). We seem to be defined by our hormones, and yet we are complete humans with so much more to offer than the admittedly magical ability to grow new humans.
It’s no wonder that so many women are confused and angry once they reach menopause. Once upon a time, we were old at 50 and dead before we were 70. But now we are so much healthier and stronger, and our life expectancy is much longer, if we take care of ourselves.
I myself am only 3 short years away from turning 60, which I find completely ludicrous, but it is nevertheless true. I may have learned a few things and might consider being a sage, but I’m damned if I’ll sit in a rocking chair and dispense wisdom to the young ones. I’m too busy making a difference in the world, and I hope you are too.
Of course all of this is predicated on our taking impeccable care of ourselves. When our kids were little, we developed bad habits of putting everyone else’s needs ahead of our own. But now we don’t have to do that anymore. We can eat well, sleep well, and move our bodies in a loving and healthy fashion. What is stopping us from doing that, aside from those bad habits?
My mother did not take care of herself until she was in her fifties, and she died of the complications of diabetes at the age of 69. My kids never really knew her, and she didn’t get to see them grow up. I am bound and determined not to do that to my grandchildren, and I hope you will not do that to yours, either.
I named my business Energy Queens because that is whom I want us to be every day – queens of our lives, and full of energy to make this world a better place. But until that title becomes a household word, I’d love your help in coming up with a good name for us.
Who are we, once we step out of the cycles of the moon?
