Strength I Have...
The
myth that if I succeed, as a woman, means another woman cannot is simple just a
myth. The idea that as women only one of us can have a seat at the table is not
ideal. The notion that we must compete against one another is unrealistic. But what is true is if I succeed I create the
opportunity for someone else to succeed, if I get a seat at the table I create
another seat at the table for someone else; there is no need for the
competition.
This was a post that I have wanted to do for quite a while,
but I never could quite frame it in the correct context for the audience that I
have here. As I am in the midst of relocating for my career, I am doing a lot
of thinking. So as I begin a new
position in my career, I am meeting new people. And with meeting new people
comes providing them with my abbreviated background a blend of professional and
personal information. A new woman co-worker asked me "how do I do what I
am doing with a husband AND a daughter." (I am not going to lie to you I was a
bit taken back by the comment, because I could not understand where it was
coming from.) My response was quite frank, "I just do."
One of my first blog post discussed the idea of work-life
balance "Work Life - What?!". I
vividly remember over a year ago meeting with a Vice President with my employer
and asked her how she does it. I can now see and feel her frustration with that
question. Let’s be honest, women have been “doing it” since the beginning of
time. Further, this is never a question that we ask men – we literally only
reserve this question for women. Thus when
it comes to women and getting things done, in every aspect of our lives, we just
do it. It is now that I really for the first time understand my VP's response to me. As I
discussed in one of my previous post, there is no such thing a "true" work life balance or
integration. It's just doing. Sometimes my family needs all of my attention and
sometimes my work needs all of my attention. 
© My great great great great grandmother
who carried her child on her hip as a slave, fostered a loving relationship to
have her child ripped from her arms and sold as property.
© My great grandmother, who never got to
opportunity to met me in person, but held together a family while whole heartedly loving both of her grandkids
and their mother with all her heart.
© My beloved Gramie who raised my father and aunt
as a single mother, making sacrifices beyond my measure (and many others) to
ensure their successful future.
© My aunt who triumphed over adversity
and road blocks that should have stopped her to attain happiness and success.
© My older and vibrant sister, who no matter what is going
on her own life still has the time to bring a sound voice of reason and true loyalty.
© Then to my brilliant, fantastic,
beautiful and courageous mother, where do I begin… With literally all the odds
stacked against her she found a way. She found a ways to live through the passing of her loved ones. She found ways to love, even when the people around her did not know
how to love correctly. She
found ways to laugh, when given the
situation most people would have grown tired and weary.
True
perseverance in the face of adversity…
I have the blood coursing through my veins of strong women
in my past, both distant and near. I only hope for two things in my future: 1. to carry on
their legacy with pride and confidence, and 2. most importantly to instill that
strength and legacy in my daughter, so she may never do anything in vein.
This post is awesome! WOW!! "We just do it!" Totally a slogan for all women!
ReplyDeleteThanks! Sometimes we really just need to remember that!
Delete