Seasons of a Woman's Life

• Published in: Leaven (Franklin Park, Ill.) Vol. 35; no. 5; p. 106
• Main Author: Eller-Smith, Lisa
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: Schaumburg La Leche League International, Inc 30.11.1999
• Subjects: Families & family life; Health; Health care; Households; Philosophy; Women
• ISSN: 8750-2011

Through the mature years, we come to realize our journey will end much as it began. The same loving and trusting relationship we sought with our mothers as infants, we must eventually have with ourselves or suffer despair and languish. "You are your own firstborn," [Nancy Franklin] reminded everyone. "How are you treating her today?" Maturity is a time of "trusting that knowing within you," Franklin said. Before we find wisdom, we must go through the stages, recognizing the transitions between them. Our lives are disrupted, Franklin noted, when "we don't do closure on our endings." When there are a number of transitions occurring simultaneously, women get out of balance. Some of the symptoms that indicate we are out of balance are anger, depression, fatigue, forgetfulness, disorganization, physiological problems, isolation and addictive behavior. Before this imbalance occurs, women need to say goodbye to main episodes in their lives, "then we can pick out a new beginning," Franklin said. "You can't know where you're going until you know where you are," she emphasized. By working in groups, we know we aren't alone. "You have to know yourself," Franklin said. "You have to stay with women who believe that." Which is why La Leche League turns out to be such a wonderful place for women to make their journeys. In LLL we have friendships. We can hear the voices within us as we help each other and ourselves. We have our past, present and future. "We need connection with the younger women," she said, "and they need us."