Midlife had always loomed over me like an impending storm. It wasn't just a milestone; it was a marker of fear and doom.
Both my parents had passed away relatively young—my mother at 52 and my father at 62. Until recently, I had resigned myself to the notion that my time on this earth would be short-lived.
As a young adult, I threw myself into life with wild abandon. I accelerated through school, traveled to 50 countries, lived mostly out of a suitcase doing remote work.
While my peers settled down, I avoided relationships that could ground me or prevent me from fulfilling my bucket list. I was racing against the clock and nothing could stop me.
Until I crashed.
Just before the world was plunged into chaos by a global pandemic, I found myself facing a trifecta of misfortune.
First, I lost my job—a blow that rocked the precarious foundation I had built for myself.
Then, like a cruel twist of fate, I found myself without a place to call home. And if that weren't enough, I also lost the love of my life. Desperate for some kind of relief, I turned to plant medicine for healing.
Somehow, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, I found a flicker of resilience within me—a stubborn refusal to be defined by my circumstances.
After a series of life-changing experiences, I realized that I had persevered against all odds and I still had a lot of life left to live.
Somehow, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, I found a flicker of resilience within me."
A few weeks before my 49th birthday, I stumbled upon a house that would alter the course of my life. Nestled in a quaint neighborhood, it stood as a beacon of hope and stability.
Without hesitation, I made the decision to purchase it, signing a 30-year mortgage—a commitment that felt monumental in its significance.
For the first time in my adult life, I felt a sense of coming home.
Just because my parents had made premature departures did not mean that I would face the same fate. At that moment, I realized that I had something very important to take care of and that I was going to stick around to do it.
And so, on the eve of my 50th birthday, I find myself in a place I never imagined possible.
Despite the hardships and heartaches, I stand taller and stronger than ever before.
I am more content and at peace with myself, having learned to find joy and fulfillment in the simple pleasures of life.
And yes, even in matters of the heart, I find myself renewed with a sense of optimism and possibility, knowing that love, like life itself, continues to surprise and delight me.
Despite the hardships and heartaches, I stand taller and stronger than ever before."
As I embark on the fourth act of my life, I do so with a renewed sense of purpose and a steadfast determination to make every moment count.
I am grateful for the challenges that have shaped me, for the blessings that have sustained me, and for the unwavering belief that tomorrow is a new beginning.
- Gabrielle Pelicci
Gabrielle wrote this essay and submitted this video as her entry to MEA's Life Begins @ 50 contest. As the winner of the contest, Gabrielle will be celebrating her 50th birthday at MEA's new Santa Fe campus with seven of her friends.