"There's a warm breeze wafting in my bedroom window, bringing with it the smell of jasmine: a perfect beginning for this day. In the bathroom, I splash water on my face and happen to look up into the mirror. Looking back at me with an intensity that I could feel reflected in my own face is the face of an old woman."

We might not recognize ourselves in the face regarding us from the mirror of age, but Ann G. Thomas embraces it. In exchanges with the Old Woman who looks out at her from the mirror, Ann confronts the fears that tempt us to deny our aging. She reveals the strength and comfort that are ours if we will only acknowledge and accept ourselves as we are, and as we are becoming.

Thomas interweaves tales from the Brothers Grimm and the Bible with Native American lore and myths from Africa, Europe, and Asia; she embroiders them with insights from modern psychology to illuminate their meaning. The patchwork quilt that she produces will change the way you look at aging even while it warms your heart.

The Women We Become is published by Volcano Press. To read more about The Women We Become, or to purchase a copy, please click here.