Finding My Niche - Part 4

Fast forward about 20 years from what I talked about in my last blogpost (Finding My Niche - Part 3). In the interim, I spent a dozen years dealing with the challenges life throws at us, and the rest of the time trying to find my passion -- trying to find a new niche.

I am no longer in California surrounded by women raising children. I am now in Florida surrounded by retirees. Did I mention? I'm 20 years older now, and so are the women like me. Our interests and needs are completely different from what they were 20 years ago.

Something that women like me -- independent women who live alone -- rarely talk about is the fear: "if I get sick or injured, how long will it take for someone to notice my absence and come to my aid?"

I was part of a conversation like that after a Memorial Service for a friend who wasn't found in time.

I thought of it while I was painting a bathroom in my home -- just as I was about to climb a ladder I had placed in the tub so that it was stable -- sort of.

I think of it when I read in the newspaper about women meeting "Mr. Very Wrong" on the Internet.

I know my sister thought of it when I told her I was driving 1,300 miles to a public event.

I sometimes wonder what opportunities and new experiences I pass up because of this underlying fear.

When I draw women like myself into a conversation about this fear, most admit "if there were a low-cost product or service that solved the problem, I'd buy it in a minute."

I found my niche.