Boomer Women Unite – Let Us Find Purpose Together

A Call To Action

We fight back our age induced invisibility with a voice of authority and a privileged comportment; always sorry, never a priority. Call me “Karen”, but my name is Candace. I am the last of the boomers, who gave life to two amazing millennials. I, like many in my generation, were raised by quick witted, sharp tongued mothers and silent complacent fathers. Our futures were told by Madison Avenue storytellers; Enjoli, Charlie and Summer’s eve. We demanded more than our mothers, but not as much as our daughters. We managed a seat at the boardroom table while raising children, but  traded priorities daily, much of the time at the expense of our own well-being and the chagrin of neighborhood homemakers.

Now, kids grown and on their own, they attempt to define their lives by not repeating our mistakes. Daughters balance work and family life without guilt or apology.  Sons, pursue passions, worthy of opportunity without hubris. We still continue to work but not near the veracity of a decade ago. We strive daily to be supportive and loving wives, mothers, daughters and sisters.  We are anchors for extended family and friends. Many of us, are inpatient caregivers to an ailing or demented mother or father.

As the year 2021 ends, we reflect on a year filled with the horrors of COVID-19, an adamant, angry and hostile election, racial injustice and deep rooted century old prejudices that are not easily fixed by politicians and newsmakers. We feel stunned, appalled and overwhelmed, every day. As technology continues to dictate our lives more and more, we evolve into a new way of working and living. The lack of real connection with colleagues, family and friends creates a huge void in each of our lives. We find it difficult to take any sort of action. Most of us are not “woke” enough to be part of the progressive movement (labeled a Karen), yet too liberal to belong to the right side of the aisle. We are still working, not in any sort of financial crisis, so yes, we acknowledge our privilege, but do not wish to be labeled by it.

We do not want to be bystanders to change.  We want to offer our experiences, knowledge and know-how to the process. So we ask the millennials and zoomers (generation Z) don’t make us invisible. The Boomer women do not want to be the silent majority like our mother’s generation. Let us find purpose together, we are here, we are capable, and we can get things done.