Elderhood is calling me
- Robyn Patton
- Jul 31
- 2 min read
My daughter and I were chatting about doing something crafty together, and the idea of re-learning how to knit came up.
‘Remember’, I said ‘we’ll need someone more experienced to ‘cast on’ for us.’
I had this vague memory from years ago knitting always began with someone else starting you off, usually an older woman who knew what she was doing.
It got me thinking about those small moments of guidance we receive from women a little further down the road.
When that daughter was a newborn, one of my Mum’s friends warned me ‘Never take your eyes off the baby on the bed, she could roll off in a second.’
That stuck. It wasn’t dramatic advice, just wise and certain…one of those unexpected, trustworthy truths from a woman who'd seen a few things.
In the lead-up to my first wedding, my best friend’s mum pulled me aside. ‘The day will go by in a flash,’ she said. ‘Enjoy every moment’.
It was the 1999’s version of ‘be present’ and I still remember her face and voice as she said it.
Recently, in a session, a client asked Where are all the elders?
It echoed a question I asked myself a few years back when I went looking for a therapist, coach or mentor - someone older who could meet me with patience and lived wisdom - to help navigate the shifts of midlife.
And while it’s true that we don’t always see them, those women and men who hold elder energy, we know they’re there.
They always have been.
Now, in my own life, I feel the invitation of elderhood approaching.
I’ve entered the decade where more of my fifties lie behind me than ahead.
Goetz is already settling into an elder role within his men’s community.
Together we’ve started imagining what conscious elderhood might look like…not just for us, but for those seeking a meaningful and grounded path into this next life stage.
It’s still unfolding and not quite at the ready stage, but it’s coming.
This next chapter is one we want to co-create with others who are ready to cross that threshold, not into fading out, but into deeper presence and purpose.
Welcoming the privilege of ageing rather than fearing and repressing the march of time.
If you’ve felt that same pull, or you're wondering where all the elders are, you’re not alone. We’re here and I’d love you to be part of the conversation.
xxx Robyn
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