Lavender,

Let me share a few thoughts regarding this mid-life stuff. Keep in mind...I'm an "old fart" looking at the world through a very old lens.

First of all, don't get discouraged.. You will find the answer to your mid-life crisis, which will make good practice for solving future problems...including a late-life crisis or two.

A career change might work...but I would question that a little. Most of the "changes" we pursue....moving to the country, buying a new home, moving to the city, buying a pub, pursuing a new mistress, remodeling the bathroom, cursing the boss....are usually not "the answer" but merely a normal reaction to the repetitive nature of life...boredom, if you will. We need to remember that repetition is a requirement of success. The honing of our skills, our careers and our relationships requires repetition, and a common side-effect of that repetition is boredom.

Boredom is tough though. It pulls us along the path...to other issues, time related issues that can get a little scary. But boredom is OK, it forces us to think, it leads us to that crossroad.

So, what's the answer to your mid-life crisis? Well, I can only offer a little suggestion that has worked for me in the past. When I find myself dealing with a mid-life crisis (now a late-life crisis), I ask myself the following question: "What can I do today to help someone less fortunate than myself?"

Now this may sound silly. You might think that I am actually avoiding the issue all together. All I can say is..."it works." I have used this strategy on numerous occasions and it works! It clears my head, allowing me to deal with my own crisis more effectively.

I guess we can't solve every crisis. Unfortunately, we've been given a brain that's kind of an awkward size...just big enough to ponder the dilemma but too small to solve it. There is good news though....our heart is just the right size.

Good Luck.

Old Fart