Women’s wisdom should
be celebrated

I'VE heard about an empowering series of lectures, entitled "Women of Wisdom," that gives women the opportunity to be educated and inspired by other women in the community. I like this. I am intrigued by the topic. I even enjoy saying "women of wisdom." It has a nice sound and cadence and makes me feel as if I have something to offer other women as well. After all, aren't all of us as women given a certain amount of wisdom attached to that extra X chromosome?

I think so, and I believe that this genetic wisdom is able to grow and expand with time and experience if we allow.

So why do we, as we approach our 40s, begin to panic about that dreaded midlife crisis? We begin to feel old and obsess about our appearance. Every sag and wrinkle is scrutinized. Every ache and pain means we are over the hill. We hold the paper out further and further before we can finally admit we need reading glasses. And we realize that the handsome young man/boy who catches our eyes as he approaches is just trying to ask, "Do you have the time, ma'am?"

Ouch! We all know that awful four-letter word has a three-letter meaning: old.

BUT THIS panicked reaction is our own doing. Yes, society worships youth, but it is we who buy into that philosophy. We hear words like "menopause" and "hot flashes" and begin to start searching for the fountain of youth or the closest plastic surgeon.

What if, instead, we search inside ourselves for our own innate wisdom? What if we look to other women to share their wisdom with us? What if we accept that we are getting older and that there will be inevitable changes, but also recognize that our value doesn't depend on our physical appearance or our chronological age? It depends on how we love, how we respond to others and how we contribute to this world in which we live.

We all have valuable life experiences that can be shared. It doesn't matter whether we are 40, 60 or 90 years of age. The wisdom of women is a collective idea that can support, help, educate and mentor others.

We can learn from those who are older than us and have already traveled this road. We can acknowledge the beauty of the woman who is comfortable and at peace about her wrinkles and gray hair. We can also share our wisdom with the young women we come in contact with in our daily lives -- at home, work or church -- and prepare them for their inevitable rites of passage.

And in all our glorious, humble and generous wisdom, we can acknowledge the beauty and vitality of these young women without being envious. Perhaps they should be jealous of us. After all, we are the Women of Wisdom.