CEO Sees Herself as Poster Child for ThirdAge

It has taken me two weeks (at least) to get this paragraph written - somewhat embarrassing. I've been intrigued by blogs since I first heard of them; not sure what they were all about but was intrigued none the less. Then, serendipitously  (actually I believe "there are no accidents"), I met a very neat writer sent by Fast Company at the Marketing to Women Conference where I was speaking named Jory Desjardins. As fate would have it, Jory is also a blog aficionado, a co-founder of BlogHer and a pioneering force in the women's blog movement. The rest is history as they say.

So here I am. Excited to be here and a little intimidated. For the record, I am participating in the ThirdAge blog not as CEO of ThirdAge, rather as a ThirdAger.  Actually, if there were such a thing as criteria for a card-carrying ThirdAger, I would fit the bill perfectly: I'll be 57 in two weeks (even though ThirdAgers are not hung up on age - in fact we seldom think about it);  I've also been told I have the beginnings of osteoarthritis in my wrists (to me it's just joint pain); I have a mom who is ailing and in an  assisted care facitlity  (and understandably does not want to be there).  In addition, many important  relationships seem to be shifting to new places. As I've had plenty of transitions in my time - still do - and know there are more to come.  I've come to appreciate myself as somewhat of a  transitions expert. 

The biggest lesson learned in my ripe young age is that I can't usually effect what has happened that has caused change and with it sometimes challenges and oftentimes pain. What I  have come to hold on to is the fact that I can impact  how I choose to be in relation to these events, many of which are totally unexpected. I don't recall what sage said "No problem presents itself without a gift in it's hand;" I have found it a helpful salve on many, many an occasion.