A – Midlife Transition
QUESTIONS OF MIDLIFE
“A”, a woman in her 50s was grieving the loss of her closest female friend, whom she described as “friend, guide and confidante”. This woman was a very special mentor figure who embodied much of A’s understanding of what it is to be a woman.
A’s loss opened up a whole series of questions for A about her marriage, her career and the things to which she was devoting energy in her life. “Do these things still matter to me?” she found herself asking, “What actually does matter? Does anything?”
A found herself wondering what it meant to find herself at the midpoint of her life. Where could she find the close friendship and sense of meaningful connection to others for which she yearned? What was it that she really wanted and needed from other people—and from life?
FAR FROM THE STEREOTYPE
Far from the stereotypical “buying a red convertible” image of mid-life, A felt hungry for more reality in her life, not less. She came to recognize her need to look deeply at her inner life and her relationships. A began to explore her dreams and deepest feelings.
In time, she began to discover at first small sources of vitality. This included some things that she really wanted to be doing in her life. Some of these things her whole upbringing and work culture had told her were frivolous or even useless.
A was a naturally outgoing person who became more and more aware of her deep feelings. At the same time, A. became aware of her need to be connected to others in ways that went beyond the often superficial contacts of the business world. Slowly, over time, A began to put her energies in new directions, feeling new confidence in her true self and her deepest aspirations.