For most animals, female and male lifespans have parity. Large mammals are an exception to this. For a whole slew of large mammals, the female outlives the male, long past her reproductive years. For most of these species, this post-menopausal woman serves as the matriarch, the font of institutional knowledge, the one who knows the way. A whole one third of her life may be spent in this post-menopausal leadership role.

I thought about whales, and elephants, and lions, and us. Matriarchs leading the young through the perils of life. I hope some woman looks at this piece and understands that this as a sign of her power, that she is meant to step-up and lead