By Kate Poux
Driving with my daughter the other day, she noticed a typo on the
flyer we created for Put Some Claws in Your Pause. In the sentence that says,
“We enter (this time of life) uninformed, uninspired and unsupported,” it
ACTUALLY says we enter this time of life uniformed. After the initial
shock and embarrassment, I kind of love the idea that we might all get uniforms
when we enter menopause. I mean, imagine how boss we could make them,
especially if a certain Claws alumni’s daughter designed them for us (Zivia??)?
I’m thinking something along the lines of Ghostbusters, but I think we should
be able to tailor them to whatever works best for our lifestyles. I’m reading
Handmaid’s Tale right now, so it’s important to clarify that the uniforms
would be optional and powerful, and very breathable. And they would have NAME
TAGS, which would make every single social situation more relaxing and
enjoyable for me. Hell maybe we could make up new names for ourselves in
menopause. Maybe if you come to a Claws
in Your Pause retreat, we birth new names for ourselves, have a naming
ritual, chant the new names together in the sweat lodge!
And imagine the support and companionship we might encounter
walking around life if we could spot each other in a crowd. It reminds me of
when my daughters were in preschool and we participated in the amazing Talking
about Touching personal safety lessons for children. We taught our kids safety
steps to follow if they ever got separated from their grown-ups in a store or a
crowd. Step 2 was find an adult wearing a uniform and tell them you need help
finding your grown-up. What if we could find a Menopauser wearing a
uniform to help us relate or calm down or comfort us through whatever crisis
might be unfolding around us or share in the hilarious moment we appreciate so
much more because of our life experience? What if the uniform represented a
promise to look out for each other, a visual reminder that we are not alone? Of
course, it would also mean that everyone else would be calling on us for help
all the time, even more than they already do, so that might be a drag. Maybe
you just wear it a few days a week. But still.
So, we probably won’t have the uniforms designed by this May in
time for Put Some Claws in Your Pause, Version 3, but that means you can get in
on the prototype designs! And we have learned a bunch from our first 2 retreats
that we can’t wait to share with you. Highlights will include: sharing our
strategies and mid-life expertise with each other, powerful writing and yoga
meditations, making art, eating lots of chocolate and delicious meals, burning
stuff, and beautiful natural surroundings that will inspire and take care of
you. The idea is that we take a few days off to take good care of ourselves and
each other at this transformational moment in our lives. We would love to
celebrate with you, we hope you can join us this May….. and just kidding
about the uniform prototype thing. Sort of.
Kate, this is a fun idea! And if, following prototyping, you need a costume designer, I'm sure Zivia could be persuaded (with lots of chocolate).
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