Gathering Wisdom

"If we don't pay attention to the issues that come up for us every month during the years when our periods are regular, our symptoms will escalate as we get older." Christiane Northrup, M.D. from The Wisdom of Menopause

While I don't agree with everything Dr. Northrup discusses in her book, many of her words jump off the page! I believe that I'm on the path to perimenopause. I've turned back to writing (a love that was placed on the back burner for years) as I cope with unresolved issues and rediscover who I was meant to be for the next forty years.

I've noticed that as I grow older - and become closer to God's Word - I tend to buck the popular trends in society. For example, I have never taken a birth control pill. I witnessed the evil effects of the pill because my older sister took them for 6+ years. As soon as she stopped, her body retaliated. She had to see a dermatologist and unfortunately she was prescribed more pills. It is a vicious cycle. A pill for this, a pill for that. I decided that road was not for me.

I have learned to listen to my body. What does it need? What should I change? What should I add? My monthly cycles can be harsh and frankly, I hate those seven days. But my cycles are regular and dependable so I realize my body is working optimally.

I'm also looking more seriously at vitamins. In my dream world, I'd be living on 50 acres in the middle of nowhere, growing my own fruits and veggies, baking my own bread from scratch and learning to live off the land. Alas, here I sit in reality. Since our organic selections in the grocery stores are poor, I rely on my vitamin intake. Dr. Northrup has a comprehensive preimenopause supplement list in her book.

This will indeed be a year for gathering wisdom, and definitely courage as I encounter skeletons, forgive and bury past hurts for good, and evolve into the woman I want to be. I pray that I can do it well and please Him so my children may reap all of the benefits of a healed and happy mother.