Ok, I’m kidding. In fact. Well, maybe not so much. Given the endless TV shows lately featuring vampires and werewolves, I thought it might be relevant. And… you have to admit it’s an interesting topic and it got your attention… Seriously… Menopause is a very misunderstood stage in everyone’s life. The holistic wellness part of me is seeing too much with struggling couples. Personally, I feel that any man who sticks with a partner who is going through less than deserves an extreme sports award. It is no wonder that men tend to engage in affairs during this time. Heck, my husband has to follow me around the house to make sure I don’t blow something up. Just today, I forgot to put the gas cap back on the gas tank and drove home with the cap open. No, I do not embellish. That is a true story. SO…bottom line. How can men better understand what their female partners are going through during this stage of their lives? Where do they go to filter the endless avalanche of information and where should men draw the line between what is healthy and what is healthy? unhealthy when living with a partner who has mood problems, is falling apart sexually, and can’t remember to turn off the coffee machine before leaving for work. There has to be some middle ground.

I once worked for a family where the husband was a firefighter. His wife of 8 years somehow became an emotional wildebeest after the birth of her second child. I remember him coming home with his head down after being at the station with her ‘team’ and I guessed from her posture that she had had an extremely difficult day. He looked at me and said, “I can’t believe it… I mean… I just can’t believe it. The guys at the station are making fun of me because I ran back into a burning (house) to save the goldfish from the fire.” family”… pause, sigh… “I mean, doesn’t a goldfish have the right to live too?” I assured him that he was a strong supporter of goldfish and that he believed his actions were more than noble. He smiled and then added wryly, “You’ve been working on holistic stuff for a while, haven’t you?” I nodded. “Well I have some difficulty with the younger guys on the station…some of their wives seem to be going into hormonal hell after their first babies…I keep telling them to be careful NOT to divorce their wives as well” . fast or get into business until they understand what goes on in a woman’s body, but the guys aren’t listening. I want my crew to be strong… and their families to do well too. I wish there was some way to educate them. …they think I’m being old-fashioned” MY GAWD I thought…this guy is not only a firefighter…he’s a dedicated father, loyal husband, saves goldfish and is also WISE. All that in one? Man? WOW! What’s not to love?

So, I’m just thinking out loud here. I was invited to post a story. I was probably supposed to write something corporate savvy or a heady business article… but really, I thought… since I’m steeped in the wholesome, rich, wise metaphysical and holistic arts… I wonder? Maybe there are some guys out there going through situations with hormone-charged partners who care to share in the name of saving other guys’ sanity? Maybe someone will discover that they are not alone. Maybe we’ll all get some additional valuable resources to share…and shouldn’t I include my own consulting skills if you feel like you need to talk to someone normal who won’t judge you because your wife left their son in the tub overnight? …if so…you know where to find me. And there are also health professionals who now specialize only in hormonal therapies. All said and done though, I really do wonder if vampires have ever had to deal with all of this.