When my niece got her first period 10 years ago, I decided that this date was worthy of celebrating every year moving forward. So every single August 28th , I take her to lunch at an ethnic restaurant, figuring that this way, not only do we commemorate that life- changing day, but I share with her a love of cooking and eating . . . especially the new tastes, textures and smells of exotic foods.

Five years into our yearly lunch, though, something else occurred that was also worthy of celebrating. I myself went through menopause! And one day, you too may have the joy of passing the baton onto either your daughter or niece. I had that privilege when I was 55 and my niece was now 17. She and I were traveling together to visit one of my dear friends when I secretly packed a special gift to give my niece when the clock struck midnight on August 27th . It was at that moment that my charts told me that it had been a year since my last period, and I had now officially gone through menopause. It was time for me to pass on the ceremonial kotex, as it were.

So while the two of us giggled and hugged, I happily handed her the red-ribbon wrapped tampon. What made that night even more special was the fact that as the minute hand on the clock passed over midnight, we celebrated five years-to- the-day since she herself got her first period.