What Am I Going to Do With the Rest of My Life?

In 1979, I published a book on the midlife search for self that had in it a chapter titled, "What Am I Going to Do With the Rest of My Life?" Then, I was writing about women who at forty found themselves facing a frighteningly empty future. As one woman put it: "Pretty much the whole of adult life was supposed to be around helping your husband and raising the children. I mean, I never thought about what happens to the rest of life. He doesn't need your help any more and the children are raised. Now what?"