Private Summers / Menopause
by Nita Hammersmith

A preacher, a priest, and a rabbi were having their usual morning cup of coffee at the local coffee shop. On this particular morning, they were discussing the point at which life begins. "Life begins at conception," the priest said emphatically. "No," countered the rabbi. "I believe life begins at birth." The preacher sipped his coffee as he pondered the question and finally said, "You're both wrong. Life begins when the last child has left home and the dog dies!" ~ anonymous ~

Most woman remember the day we blossomed into womanhood like it was yesterday. It was a day that we learned about in sex education. It was the day when we could truly say, "Finally I am woman __ hear me roar!" We all thought that our life had just begun.

We were so happy the special day had arrived, only to be utterly frustrated with the new things this special day brought. We had most of the symptoms of: discomfort, pain, headaches, horrible cramps, irritability, crankiness, soiled underwear, and of course more pimples. We were both elated, and melancholy. In time, our monthly visitor became our friend. For all too many of us, those monthly visitors were a time when we could relax and officially say to our husbands, "It's time to take a break!"

When our monthly menses start going away we begin a new passage. Some, begin a time of transition from p. m. s and worry of getting pregnant to complete freedom. But, for the majority of us the days of  irritability, crankiness, and headaches have come back home to roost. Our private summers can be a welcomed event in our lives or the bane of our existence. Flashes of a mighty heat wave in your body in the dead of winter, for fifteen minutes at a time, can be disconcerting. If you do not (and some won't), experience your own private summers count your blessings.

Very few of us are ushered into this delightful designated time in our lives with just a cessation of ours menses. For the majority of us, carrying fans; moist towels; moodiness; depression; irritability; loss of bone density; loss of hair; loss of sleep; dryness; and loss of sexual desire become a way of life. But, it doesn't have to be that way at all.

Doctors encourage us to take estrogen supplements. Some believe in using soy
products. From experience, I would say use both. At night, before you go to bed, drink a warm glass of milk and add two ounces of flavored soy milk. Experts stress milk because they say, "It is a source of amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan is metabolized into serotonin in the brain. Enhanced serotonin levels in the brain are associated with relief of pain, depression, and better quality of sleep." Smoothie drinks, made with fresh fruit, juices, and silken tofu are a wonderful way to start the day. You will find a regimen of drinking the juice in the morning and the milk at night helps "private summers" to fade away.

With the cessation of menses, begins a new interval in our lives when we can be glad we are no longer in our childbearing years. Everything, we read as a remedy to our distress, ultimately tells us to exercise and get plenty of rest. If you had cramps, headaches, fibroids, and scream outs with each menses, you can now say to them �?bye, bye!

Married individuals should use this time to revive a possible waning relationship with your spouse. We have entered into a time that God has given us to freely enjoy our husbands and put the romance that may be slipping away; back into our lives. Finding an effective lubricating product may help many women get rid of atrophy. Doctors also say, "less atrophy or "dryness" occurs in women who are more sexually active."

There are many books on the market that give sound medical advice about menopause. Take care of your bodies, by being informed about hormone replacement therapy. Ephesians 5:15-16 tells us, "Be very careful, then, how
you live - not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity,
because the days are evil." Menopause, should not cause us to pause the way
we live for Christ. Now, more than ever is a time for us to be: disciplined,
discreet, gracious, controlled, and "together." We now have the advantage
that women have longed to have.

Proverbs 31:25 tells of the virtuous woman and says, "She is clothed with
strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with
wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue." Menopause, should be a
signal that we have become those older women, who are now, ready to teach
the younger women how to love their husbands and children. Young women have a
long way to go.  We can help make the road they travel easier by sharing with them our faith and our experience.

We can smile and look forward to the days to come. We can care for our
husbands and increase the quality of our lives together. Psalms 90: 10 & 12 says, "The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength;
…Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. With the ending of menopause we are now clothed with strength and dignity.

Menopause begins for most of us when we are in our mid-forties to mid- fifties
and last but a few years.  It took a few years to begin menses and it will take a few to stop. It is should be a celebration of a new and marvelous time in our lives. It is a time we can use to answer the preachers' question of , "When life begins?" We can say, "life begins when the children are gone away to college, and we, are finished with our private summers.

Visit Nita's site at www.nitahammersmith.com

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Nita is interested in receiving feedback regarding this article. If you would like to comment, please contact her at [email protected] 

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