When I was an exhausted young mom, I used to wish for a much wiser, older woman to move in next door to me. I imagined having tea with her, pouring out my struggles of young motherhood, early marriage, and balancing work and home. She’d share nuggets of wisdom and encouragement with me…

Unfortunately, that special neighbor never moved in. But I did have several mentors in my life who helped me navigate those years, and I’m very thankful for their support.

Life experiences bring wisdom. One of the opportunities we have as older women is to support younger women in their journey. But time and age aren’t the only things that lead to wisdom. Young women have much to offer as well, despite the fact our culture often overlooks the wisdom of womanhood at any age.

Look around you. Is there a neighbor, another woman at church, a friend who could use your encouragement and benefit from your wisdom right now?

Scripture tells us, “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” (2 Corinth. 1:3b-4)

Deepening Relationships

Several years before our youngest child left home, my husband and I realized we had better begin to focus on our relationship with each other, or we could be in for a tough time when we found ourselves in an empty nest, staring at only each other.

We tried and discovered some things we enjoyed doing together. We signed up for a co-ed softball team and rode bikes after work in the summer. We joined a bowling league and a book study at church. And we started dating again. Dinners out, long walks on the waterfront, holding hands, watching movies at home.

By the time our son left for college, we had established some fun activities and found ourselves enjoying each other’s company like we hadn’t in years. Our relationship was new and different and in many ways, better than it had ever been.

I’m also experiencing real joy in my relationships with my adult kids. How amazing to see these once little beings become the mature, independent people God intended them to be! I love having deep conversations with them, and hearing their struggles and dreams for the future.

Whether you’re single or married, midlife can bring newfound satisfaction in your relationships with friends and family members. The walls of competition come down. Comparison stops. It doesn’t matter so much who has a bigger home, or nicer clothes, or a better job. It’s easier to be who we are with others as we age.

How can you begin to prepare for changing relationships in the next season of your life?

The Chance to Dream Again

Amidst the changes and challenges, midlife can be a time of incredible creativity and renewed energy.

Even as my menopause brain is foggy and distracted at times, I’m also finding some newfound clarity when it comes to dreams I put on hold for many years.

Younger friends have said that remote work, or even losing their jobs because of the pandemic, has opened up opportunities to pursue dreams they didn’t think were possible.

If your life is in transition right now, take time to think about what dreams you put on hold that you could begin to focus on again. Have you always wanted to write a book? Start a business or ministry? Create something beautiful? Commit some time to prayer and ask God to resurrect those dreams He planted in your heart for such a time as this.

“And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b)

Aging is no doubt a time of tremendous change. It can also be a time of growth, success, and dreams realized. Let’s encourage one another to enjoy the journey!

3 Steps to Reconnect with Your Dreams

1. Take inventory of your life. What are you grieving that you can begin to let go of so that you can embrace the future? What does your current situation offer you that you’ve never had before? Time? Remote work? What wisdom have you gained in your years of life?
   
2. Tell someone your dreams. Choose a prayer partner or trusted friend to help coach you through this process. Tell her the dreams you put on hold for a season, and which have turned out to be not what you’d hoped for after all. Which ones are still burning in your heart that you’d love to consider again in this new season of life?
   
3. Create a dream board. Begin to envision what your dreams could look like and how they could become reality. What steps can you take to begin to move forward on these? How is this season of life affording you opportunities you didn’t have in the past?