Years ago, I bought a painting in China for my office wall that captured my life perfectly: a woman pulled in all directions, spinning in circles. It made me laugh because it was true. I was launching a new business while driving children to countless events, shopping, cooking, doing laundry, cleaning the house, and trying to look at least somewhat presentable for my husband. It wasn’t easy—at times it felt nearly impossible—but I rarely complained. Like the swing carousel in an amusement park, it was exciting.

Working mothers don’t have it easy. According to CBS, the job requirements for motherhood include, but aren’t limited to:

• Must be able to work 135+ hours a week
• Ability to work overnight, depending on needs
• Willingness to forgo any breaks
• Work mostly standing up and/or bending down
• Must be able to lift up to 75 lbs. regularly
• Ph.D. in psychology—or real-life equivalent
• Unlimited patience
• Understanding of finance and medicine
• Selflessly driven
• Valid driver’s license, CPR certification, and Red Cross membership

Does that sound familiar to you?

Now, with children and grandchildren grown and scattered across the West Coast, and with my business sold, I assumed life would slow down. I thought I’d finally have time to relax, reflect, and focus.  But that’s not so.

Apparently, I’m hardwired to keep that wheel spinning. I now travel further to visit family. My time is filled with painting, writing, volunteer work, political activism, and caring for two local grandkids. The laundry, housework, exercise routines, and daily check-ins with my husband still remain, as they always did.

So, what does it all add up to? I don’t have time to be bored or to obsess over things beyond my control. My life remains full. Even in my later years, I still feel that I have something meaningful to contribute. I’ve learned to communicate across generations, share history and stories as an elder, and hold onto a strong sense of purpose.

In my counseling work, I often meet younger people who struggle with that very thing: purpose. Many feel unmoored, unsure of their direction in life. But purpose isn’t something handed to you. It’s something you build, bit by bit, through action, reflection, and connection.

And it’s never too late to find it.
___________________________________________________________________________”Painting is not for sale. I like too much.

Please share the times in your life when you felt like it was spinning out of control.

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Building and managing a museum was particularly exciting. Science museum directors do much more than put on exhibits. They operate gift stores, planetariums, large-format theaters, and educational programs both within and outside the building. They offer camping experiences, manage restaurants, tour exhibits internationally, and organize fundraising events. Managing such a diverse and varied program might drive some people crazy, while for others, it is what life is about.  Enjoy a fun-packed read that takes you behind the scenes of science and art centers.

Available in e-book and paperback at Powell’s Books, Amazon, and  Barnes & Noble.