Becoming a Crone, what qualifies one?

Tonight at dinner friends and I discussed qualifications to become a Crone. Here are some that I found in the book "Celebrating the Crone" by Ruth Gardner.

Learn from past mistakes
Admit errors (a hallmark of wisdom)
Be practical (a skill that helps solve problems)
Be empathetic, understanding, and caring
Use knowledge and experience to help others
Trust your own instincts and hunches
Avoid seeking strictly right and wrong answers
Tolerate ambiguity as life knowledge expands
Manage your own life effectively
Create harmony with those around you
Accept challenges to your views and use them to examine opposing points of   
     view
Enjoy satisfaction gained from helping others
Accept the feelings that accompany experience...


Also from her book: Choosing the name "Crone" is an deliberate act by women to undermine the biased belief system that is so prevalent in our culture. That system devalues old women by ignoring the experience, knowledge, and wisdom they have acquired through living. By bringing the term "Crone" into common usage, women survivors defy those who disparage them. Crones champion their right to be recognized as contributing members of our society, as strong and valuable resources entitled to respect. With full awareness of the word's current negative connotations, women choose it to confront issues facing aging women. They choose it to raise important questions about attitudes and feelings toward those issues, and to bring those concepts into the light where values can be revealed and strengths acknowledged. From the insights gained through their efforts, we can all learn to honor women's experience.n
Women have many reasons for deciding to formally announce their passage. Many women the author (Ruth Gardner) interviewed spoke of their need to overcome the traditional negative associations ascribed to old women - and to the word "Crone".

It's a great book and worth buying................