Rachel, 49 My name is Rachel. I’m a 49-year-old native New Yorker and an American Ex-Pat based in Spain. I am going through the deepest and most profound transition of my life. Because of this moment, I have had time to reflect and acknowledge how extraordinary I am. Over the…

Clare, 47 In 2014, I returned to work after several weeks of maternity leave. I sat by the window, nursing my second son. I was frustrated, not because he wouldn’t latch, but because I hadn’t finished the PowerPoint presentation due the next day. It almost feels like a betrayal to…

Ceri-Ann, Age 40 I have two daughters: a 23-year-old and a 2-week-old. No, this is not an episode of Maury. This is my life at 40. My approach to life and motherhood is just as separate as their age. …

Anis, 50 So there’s something about turning fifty that’s decidedly…time-ticky. When I turned forty, I performed some mental gymnastics to convince myself I was not yet near the midway point of my adult life (which I decided started at 20, just for the sake of keeping the math simple). Not…

Chantell, 46 I grew up on a huge collection of my parents’ vinyl records they kept in our wooden cabinet stereo. Records were always playing. The Platters were one of my favorites. They were also my Dad’s favorite. He recently came out to California from Idaho to visit or possibly…

Halle, 48 In our first decade years, we are pampered, adored, disciplined, loved, teased, respected, and cared for. Our bodies are growing, changing, doubling, tripling, quadrupling in size and presence. I was oblivious to all of this. I can vividly remember soft, child-skin, pudgy fingers, round feet, baby leg hair…

Noriko, 48 Night-Blooming Jasmine At the start of the pandemic, we signed my daughter up for some virtual soccer lessons. After her second-grade homeschool lessons, we wanted her to move and to have someone other than us tell her what to do. Her coach helped her become the master of…

Ali, 48 Four years. That is how long it took me to save miles, set aside money, plan, organize, coordinate, and research our first big blended family trip to Hawaii. I love to travel — tasting different food, and experiencing the scents and sounds of new places and cultures is…

Eleanor, 45 Midlife has been a swarm of extra responsibilities. My children are young adults with new needs and new questions. My husband has reached the ‘let’s play golf’ era. My parents are aging and not so graceful. A huge struggle for me is the conflict with my parents. We…