The recent story in Time Magazine (5/9/05) has hopefully opened eyes to what midlife and older women really want. So often, society looks at midlife as just being that - midlife, menopause, empty nest, gray hair and wrinkles. Yet, to women it’s so much more.

We have been asking women about their views and stories regarding positive and successful aging experiences. Not only have they shared their wonderfully delightful stories, they have also revealed their hopes, expectations and goals for the second half of their lives.

These stories tell of women looking forward to this time of their life as a time of renewal, of exploring new areas of interest and of the “freedom to be whole and who I really want to be”. Women speak of lessons learned, wisdom granted, and the ability to look ahead to accepting new challenges. Many of these women actually look forward to growing older and to the gifts that come with age.

What about you? What do you really want? This is not as easy of a question as it appears. Ask your self some questions and record your answers in your journal. Visit it often and see what presents itself to you.

Here are some questions to consider.

Simply stated, menopause is a biological event that marks the end of a woman’s menses and hence her natural reproductive cycle. Perimenopause is defined as the period beginning with the signs of approaching menopause and ending about 12 months after “the menopause”.

Worldwide, menopause has as a variety of meanings. Each and every woman’s experience is based on her physical and emotional well being as well as her social and cultural environments. While some view menopause as a decline in status, others see it as a rite of passage. In other words, there are huge physical, emotional and social influences involved in your experience of menopause and aging.

That said, what you really want to know is - “What will I experience”?

This is tricky, as the answer is different for every woman. Some women barely notice a warm flush, while others have an intense reaction. So as you read some of the more common occurrences, please keep in mind - you will do you own thing.

Celebrating ourselves is good for us. It’s good for our families, our friends and our communities - that positive energy is both life affirming and infectious. What better way to celebrate than to find little ways to indulge yourself and those you love? Women sometimes get so caught up in “taking care of“ others that often we are the last to be cared for. Let’s start with taking care of ourselves and each other. Here are some suggestions to get you started. As you go though this list, write down the ones that speak to you, as well as the ones you think of in your journal.