The last quarter of the twentieth century introduced a massive increase in professional ladies making a contribution in most areas of employment. Education has increased, unusual areas of interest have been opened and new levels of competence and comfort have been achieved as long term effects of womens lib.

The end of a working life has been wrongly promoted as the time for reward by way of leaving the job, possibly buying a beach side apartment and not doing much else.

A working life has built a season of major importance for professional ladies. Most of us dont want to drop everything with the now popular early retirement packages and get bored and fat. A solid work experience should not be wasted.

Greatest satisfaction will come from finding a skill or a task attached to a program that should not share the level of any previous stress but does share a similar level of relevance, passion and commitment enjoyed by the old job.

Some of us may choose to continue within the same realm of knowledge and interest with a preexisting network of people. Others may be blessed by branching into a new learning experience. Most important is the birth and maintenance of a new task using current skills, experiences attached to a new but regular timetable. Menopause, not the letter from the employer should initiate the first plans of the next phase.

Copyright 2006 Patricia Little