~ the unmitigated audacity
Picture: Stock Photo, GoDaddy
First off, I’m post-menopausal. Second, I have no intentions of adopting. Now, don’t get it twisted. I love children. I think they are some of the most precious human beings on the planet. It is nothing shy of a divine gift to be able to spend time with them, teach them, mentor them, etc. And there were a few times in my life, when I created emotional space for having them with men I deeply cared for. Check out my post on free will. But life goes on and time waits for no one. Then menopause arrives. I remember it vividly. I actually grieved over not having my period anymore. Hah! Tell that to my 13-year-old self.
Then I pushed through it and came to embrace and appreciate a lovely new phase in my life that won’t involve me raising my own child…ever. Last week, a really sweet woman asked me if I was worried about who will take care of me when I get old. My immediate thought? Retirement home. But until then, I’m good. I really am. I have an active, satisfying life on so many levels. And there isn’t a “void” because I don’t have a son or daughter.
Like my Grandmother told me when I was in high school. “Miss America, I don’t want to ever hear you say ‘I just want somebody to love me. Somebody who looks like me.’ I have three words for you: get a dog.” Gotta love grandmothers. And you also gotta love yourself. So, cheers to all the BEAUTIFUL women out there who don’t have any kids as well. Namaste y’all…