Sheri Margulies-Semel:  

Thanks to all of you who have visited my page and left your name! Now I know who's lurking out there! LOL! March, 2019. I wrote this little story about my life a long time ago. Life changes; we change.. My beloved husband, Marty, died in November of 2016. It's been hard getting used to being alone but I guess sometimes life gives us no choice but to adapt. Since I wrote my little story I have indeed become a Social Security and Medicare recipient - 'thank you' to what is left of our social safety net! I hope for better days to come for all of us in this land where it seems we have temporarily (?) lost direction. At least I HOPE it's temporary. I may pay a visit to NEW YORK CITY in the autumn - haven't been there in 17 years. I know it has changed a lot - I wonder if ANYONE will think I'm really a New Yorker or just another silly tourist? I have to remember to only wear black! LOL! Since we of the class of 1964 are now all venerable SENIOR CITIZENS about to start collecting Social Security Benefits, I would have thought back in 1964 that by now we'd be EXTREMELY ANCIENT! But the image evoked by "WHEN I'M 64" seems to be something way down the road for us, maybe in about 20 years? In my head, in many ways, I am the same person I was back then. Just wiser and less anxious about the FUTURE! What FUTURE? The FUTURE IS NOW! If there is one thing I have learned in all these years it is to live in the present. My life has taken some twists and turns, some up, some down. Some good health and some illness. Some delights and some disappointments. But right now life is easy, peaceful and I am soooooooooo incredibly happy to be retired and to have put the world of WORK behind me forever. Our generation of women was ill-prepared for liberation and equality. Some of us may have MADE IT in the world, but a lot, like myself, sold ourselves short when it came to careers and accomplishments. Women's liberation came kind of late for us - we were already out of college trying to get jobs where we were asked, first and foremost, "how fast can you type?" Or, not getting hired because we were married and expected to get pregnant anyday and quit the job. I ended up working for the government - 31 years - not a glorious career, but now I'm so happy to have my pension! So it all worked out in the end!!!! And I met my husband at work, made many good friends, and had time and energy left for other pursuits over the years. All in all however, I am happy for the young women today who can pursue ANY career that they want. And the careers that exist today are so varied and amazing! The world HAS changed - and while it is common to wax nostalgic for the 60's, the fact is that in many ways today is good too! Just read Suze Rotolo's book, A FREE-WHEELIN TIME - great trip back to the Village - eventho' we were a bit too young in the early 60's to be part of the scene. But all the PLACES - the music - the ideas and the FEELINGS - a great read for those of us who were teens in the early 60's! I left NYC after HS graduation, but returned for 22 years in 1971. Now we are FAR AWAY...in New Mexico, the LAND OF ENCHANTMENT. Life here is slow paced, and to some, I suppose it would seem dull. But I am thrilled to be away from NY - away from all big cities - life in this rural setting (well actually, tiny burg by NY standards) is so calm and undemanding. It requires 'self-resou...Expand for more