How I got to be in the third row to hear Dr. Christiane Northrup, New York Times best-selling author and today’s leading expert on women health issues, was pure luck. Or was it? I was one of over one thousand women who poured into the Penntop Ballroom on the eighteenth floor of the New York Hotel Pennsylvania on Seventh Ave. at 33rd on Saturday, November 10, 2007, to hear Dr. Northrup give a talk on Menopause and Beyond: New Wisdom for Women.
Back in August is when I purchased my ticket as a gift to myself. Dr. Northrup had been featured on Oprah, The View, Good Morning America, and PBS and I missed them all. But, when I receiveda brochure about her tour coming to my area, I knew immediately this was something special that I did not want to miss and I called that very day.
In Northern Bergen County where I live, just across the Hudson River from New York City, you can easily commute during the week into the city by train, bus, or vehicle. Once again, luck was on my side as the Pascack Valley train line weekend train service from my area to NYC that had been suspended for sixty years, just started again. So, when I realized that New York’s Hotel Pennsylvania was directly across the street from Penn Station at Madison Square Garden, where the train line ends, I knew that my decision to take the newly restarted Pascack Valley train line was the right decision.
Once I boarded and was settled in the red leather seat, I thought to myself, I wonder whom I will see that I know? It was a far-fetched notion but I couldn’t help feeling that I would run into someone that I knew. Sure enough, while departing from the train at Penn Station, I ran into Susan, the librarian for my local Library. Susan had saved the day for me many times when I was working my monthly newspaper column, A Slice of Life, for The Rockland Review, and needed help with research. Pleasantly surprised to run into each other, we a friendly greeting and then proceeded to accompany one another as we wound our way up the stairs and out onto 7th Ave.
Susan was headed to West 42nd St. to see Pygmalion, one of the remaining plays not affected by the Broadway stagehands strike, and I was only headed across the street. However, since we both had time before our respective events started we joined the throngs of people, and while making our way across 34th St. to Macy’s, we caught a glimpse of the stately Empire State Building.
Once inside the historic store where “Miracle on 34th St.”, the story about a Macy’s department store Santa Claus was set, we were able warm up a bit while passing aisle after aisle of Christmas wreaths and bows and red and silver glittering decorations draped everywhere with salespeople spraying samples of perfume and cologne among perfectly styled Calvin Klein mannequins. And, then it was back outside to view the famous Macy's Christmas windows wit scenes from "Miracle on 34th St. Macy’s had once again created an enticing holiday environment for shopping, but we had more important things to do and soon headed back outside to say our parting good-byes and extend good wishes to each other for the rest of the afternoon.
It was only a short walk to New York’s Hotel Pennsylvania and once inside there was a buzz of activity. Crowds of people were in long lines to check in, and other folks were sitting on the circular lounge just below a magnificent center crystal chandelier that offset the entire foyer. Digging out my ticket I found my way to the elevators and after a fairly short ride considering how high we went, I stepped out onto the eighteenth floor to throngs of women already gathered. The force was electrifying, as everyone seemed to exude the same essence of anticipation for a wonderful afternoon with Dr. Northrup.
I was lucky enough … let me rephrase that because where I once may have thought it all luck, I now believe a force greater than mere serendipity is at work. I believe that every step of the way my day was ordained by Divine intervention to remind me that God still has a plan for my life…even after menopause. In fact, I feel like I’m just beginning. After hearing Dr. Northrup explain how I’m not alone in that feeling, that many post-menopausal women are reinventing themselves and are the best they’ve ever been, I headed back to Penn Station for my train ride home with a new spring in my step.
How did I end up in the 3rd row with hundreds of women in back of me? Arriving early may have helped. Deciding to position myself in line rather than wandering around like I may have done in the past and then ended up in the back row…may have helped too.
You decide. But, when Dr. Northrup suddenly appeared right in front of me in the hallway and I had the opportunity to stand right next to her, I flung my coat to the floor and quickly asked a passing lady who I’d never met and haven’t seen since, to snap a photo. And then came a bonus. Dr. Northrup complimented me on my new jacket and made my day!
And then, for the next two hours with a short break in between, we were educated and entertained about important women's issues and our health. Dr. Northrup even ended her program with us all standing and moving to some dance steps.
When the afternoon came to an end, I left armed with Dr. Northrups wisdom for women and coupled with God’s truths with no doubt in my mind that the best is yet to come.
Until next time…Top Blonde taking the day!
Christiane Northrup, M.D. Web Site (with personal permission from Dr. Northrup)
