I grew up expecting to some day become a wife and a mother. I became both, but something else also defined my life, my career. Although I never would have dreamt I’d be a successful career woman, I could never dream of myself without my work at this point in my life.

Women hard at work

I was married for many years to an artist. Though immensely talented, he would have been a starving artist, and I the wife of one, if I hadn’t worked. So I worked, and worked, and worked. I worked as a reporter, an editor and a publisher, as a public relations director for a company that manufactured men’s electric shavers and as a newspaper writer for a New York City tabloid. A few of my bosses were super smart and taught me a ton. Others weren’t so smart. I became a boss myself, sometimes a good one, other times, not so good. I had great times and tortured times. I made wonderful friends as well as a few enemies along the way.

I met Hilary Clinton, Madeleine Albright, Donald Trump and Martha Stewart, who reduced one of my employees to tears. I was friends with the men who invented Cuisinarts and Calphalon cookware, interviewed Julia Child and was invited to a July 4 bash at the home of Craig Claiborne, the influential New York Times restaurant critic in the seventies.

Eventually, I started my own business, where I created a magazine for plus-size women, a summit for high-level businesswomen and one that brought together women in government, science, academics, the arts and business. I published two kid’s books and wrote a fashion book. I had more than my share of horrendous, talent-depraved clients and, thankfully, terrific clients. I’ve earned good money some years; others, practically nothing.

I am grateful for every moment and for traveling a path that led me to the place I am now. I have no doubt that every single job, boss, client, success and failure bought me here. I’ve learned what I do well and what I shouldn’t be doing. I’ve learned to search out the people who stimulate me and to avoid those who are poisonous. I now understand when to push extra hard and when to lie in the weeds, and that worrying accomplishes absolutely nothing.

A friend recently told me: “You reinvent yourself all the time.”  I guess I do.  Now I’m involved with the most gratifying project of my life, the creation of www.faboverfifty.com.  I’m not doing it to satisfy a boss and get a pat on the back. It’s not designed to get me ahead in my career or win me an award.  It’s to give the women of my generation the recognition they deserve for being great daughters, mothers, wives, friends, leaders, students, sisters, inventors and a whole lot more.