When my husband and I take a road trip, besides making the bologna and pb&j sandwiches the night before, I always buy a National Enquirer.  While we are driving along, when things get really quiet, I leap into my “on the scene” reporter voice and read one of their outrageous stories,  as if it were a serious news flash.  We laugh and hoot and holler with one another for at least  the next 100 miles or so. 

One headline story, a few trips back, was “76 year old Woman, Gives Birth to 26- pound Baby“.  Then, of course, I thought it was ridiculous.

But now, I know just how she feels.   

For nearly two years now, I have been gestating on a really big idea. It involves all of us who are knee-deep in mid-life, wondering how and what is next.  It’s about women, finding one another and helping one another figure all that out, together.  We are literally giving birth to new lives on every level, aren’t we?

So, as a lady that has spent a lifetime launching people, ideas and products—cities, even…….I am back.  One more time.  With the urge to surge.  With the desire to galvanize us girls, into something we can connect with, learn from and feel energized by as a recognizable part of the culture.  I think we need to be called something other than Boomer, don’t you? 

One part of the idea has involved interviewing women from all walks of life, throughout the country who have managed to re-purpose and then, navigate their way into amazing lives for themselves.  They have  found their own encore. 

Their stories of courage and pluck, of resillience and resourcefulness have wowed and humbled me.  Their speedbumps and setbacks, and then, the successes they have found are nothing short of miraculous.  So many lessons were learned. I look forward to sharing them with all of  you in the hope of paving a new path or inspiring new ideas, as we move forward together.  I am laying the groundwork for something that would include all of us who are committed to forever letting ourselves grow.

It’s just taking so much longer to move the pieces around on the “big board” to create something usable and doable and inspiring/educational.  But, hang in there with me if you have a desire to participate in getting to know like-hearted, like minded women—-if you know in your heart of hearts that you are anything BUT over.

If you know of women who are writing books, creating workshops, or who organize great trips or who have their own encoring story, please share with me, so as things develop I can include them. I need your help in building a community that will allow us to find one another, so we can grow, together.

Nineteen months is a long time to be pregnant but the birth is just a matter of a little more time and a few more labor pains.  I just have to remind myself to…..breathe and….push.