Following the Path!

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Starting a new career path at sixty-seven years young is a bit “white-hair” raising, to say the least! In some circles, my “mature” age makes people say things like, “She’s washed up!” or “she’s over the hill!” – wait a minute… that is not true!  God planned all along for me to journey this route – giving me the love of words and a passion to help others.

There’s still a great deal of “yes I can!” as opposed to “no I can’t!” – with so many baby boomers headed down the retirement trail, more and more people are turning to a “second life” career.  Reinvention is a buzz word used in silver and white-haired circles frequently.

My grandmother was one of my important role models when I was growing up.  She had to support herself and two daughters as a single parent when it wasn’t considered a “normal” lifestyle.  The family apricot ranch was parceled out and she handled her portion and provided for her family as best she could.  My great-grandparents lived on the same property and were instrumental in assisting her in her day-to-day life and the raising of the children.  Divorced at a young age from my Irish Catholic grandfather, she filed charges of “abandonment” and went about trying to improve her family’s situation.  My grandfather, a World War I veteran must have been disillusioned about serving in the United States military and trying to persuade his young protestant wife that their children should be brought up Roman Catholic.  He, evidently, hastened himself back to Ireland and was never heard from again. 

Single parents back then were accepted if they were in the “widow” class.  Being a “divorcee” was frowned upon, even in the case of abandonment.  She made it through many financial and social challenges.  At the ripe age of sixty plus years, she found herself employed in a print shop and made herself valuable as their assistant and “chief bean counter.”

My mother, widowed at fifty years old, followed in her mother’s oxfords!  She had a background in journalism but at fifty, didn’t know exactly if she could launch a writing career, so she got licensed in child care.  She did very well! 

So now, it’s my turn!  A widow, retired, with a passion for words that has taken me through these many decades.  How would I use this gift?  Who could I help?  Someone out there needs my talents and I hope to build up a clientele of valuable, wonderful, creative and passionate authors.