On becoming a crone ...

In my circle of women, growing old is honored and celebrated. We've reclaimed the word "crone" to mean wise, older woman and hold rituals known as "Cronings," for women over 50.

I asked women to bring inspirational quotations to share at my croning. Oh what a bounty of wisdom arrived! I am blessed to have poets and writers among my friends who wrote for me ... and singers and musicians who played for me ... and artists and craftswomen who stitched and beaded for me.

The gifts were many, and I can only share them a little at a time.

"Life should not be a journey to the grave

with the intention of arriving safely

in an attractive and well-preserved body ...

but rather to skid in sideways, champagne in one hand,

strawberries in the other,

body thoroughly used up,

totally worn out

and screaming Woo-Hoo - what a ride!"

- author unknown

"Let men save the world? I don't think so!"

- spoken by Helen, from the new animated movie, The Incredibles

The moon is always female

but the sun is female only in lands

where females are let into the sun

to run and climb.

- Marge Piercy, from The Moon is Always Female