What a wonderful and enlightening weekend! Friday I attended the beautiful tea at the St. Regis with the lovely Sylvia Tylka. I was also so blessed to attend with some of my mom friends and cancer warriors. I had no idea about the tradition of the tea at the St Regis. (If you want to know the cool history behind it I have a link at the bottom of this page.) And then Saturday I also attended the Quiet Heroes luncheon. I was overwhelmed thinking how powerful and strong women are or potentially can be. Especially when we have a passion and we are able to work together for a common and bigger cause, one like childhood cancer. We really do hold up so much and carry so much on our shoulders just in everyday life in general. It is literally a miracle that we remain sane- if we really do most of the time. And then when you throw childhood cancer in the mix...wowzers. One friend in our weekend conversation mentioned a 3 a.m. phone call/text with another cancer mom (not particularly uncommon when you are a cancer mom who never sleeps) about glue. And the message was simply..."Super or Gorilla." This made me chuckle and think deeply for a minute about a deeper meaning behind this. Many times the kids say to me "Mommy, you are the glue that holds this family together" and I think that is true for so many women. We are expected to be the silent and strong "glue" always holding everyone and everything down and in place. Juggling many balls but never dropping any. Keeping things in order-emotions in place and everything running smoothly. Many times I see single moms caring for their sick children, caring for other children, holding down a job, paying bills and being the "glue". I don't know how but they hold it all together and they do it well or at least they appear to do it very well. I don't think we always give ourselves enough credit for all we are able to do and accomplish. I looked around today and saw how much power and influence was in that Quiet Heroes room. I personally believe the name should be changed though, maybe to "Noisy Heroes". These changers are not quiet they are quite noisy. Thank goodness we are noisy because it takes noise to be heard and I feel we are finally being heard. So much change is happening, I see it and it is exciting and my hope is that every year it doubles and triples. We women make noise, we know how to be quiet...but men certainly also know women can be very loud when we want/need something. We know when to shake it up to get what we want. We know how to wear the heels to the office and how to look pretty but also when to demonstrate we have a brain under the pretty make up and hair. I mean the thought of a man giving birth, nursing, waking up every hour during the night and functioning on a daily basis makes me chuckle. Enough said about that. I mean, men are amazing and I love them. I love that they make the world go around and that they are strong and take care of us. I love that they punch each other and don't cause a lot of drama, etc. That is why normally I don't like most women, I appreciate women though. Inside I mostly feel like a dude, a dude who is laid back and simple on the inside but on the outside I like make up, girly clothes and wear lots of pink 💗. I would mostly rather hang with the guys than hear annoying girl chatter. And really until college I only had a couple of close girl friends. Girls are complicated and I don't enjoy complicated. Until recently I realized I am also quite complicated-Oh joy. This has been really hard for me to stomach. But I also realized this...girl power is real and it is awesome. And complicated is ok. Also I believe as humans we are all complicated, if you don't think so then you are probably in denial about that. And another thing...we need each other, we really do. We work better in pairs and in teams. This is why girls gang up, go to the bathroom in pairs, have lunch dates, do tea😘 etc. So like Super Glue, we are literally super moms in many ways. Some working jobs outside of the home, and if not working an outside job then they are working at home and running in a million different directions, carrying kids to a gazillions different activities, counseling, refereeing fights, cooking meals and helping with homework. Don't even mention the romance department. 😆 And if you are a cancer mom then there are the endless medicines and procedures and schedules moms are usually in charge of remembering and administering. If you are an angel mom like me you might become the "Gorilla Glue" type...still expecting to hold it all together but now fighting not only for the the child you couldn't save but for those you believe you can help save. You become obsessed with helping and changing and challenging the cancer world. You can't sleep because you can't stomach seeing another child die. What if you raised one more dollar that made a difference or met one more person that could do something. It becomes insanity...literally. But you realize at events like Quiet Heroes you are not alone and that there is power in numbers. Women...they just rock. Women like Chris Glavin who is so classy and beautiful on the outside and who could easily just sit back and be quiet enjoying her private social life but instead she fights and speaks out-she does it big. What I love most about her is that she becomes your friend and a real friend. She isn't superficial, she gets to know you and your story and really cares. She speaks and uses her power and influence to make a change. The same with Jaye Watson, another kind heart who isn't afraid to be real and let you get close. But she is also a changer. She cares and she REALLY cares. She sticks her neck out and uses her influence to be a changer. I am sure they get knocked down and stepped on and it isn't always easy. They are both in the spotlight and letting people in has to be really hard and sometimes dangerous but they do it anyway. And they don't even have children with cancer. But they love big and give big and they are real. That's my favorite part, the real part. I believe that is what people are touched by the most, they let people in and people appreciate the "real". They inspire me to love big also and fight and care and not to give up. "Ok, just breath"....your women friends also remind you to do that when you need it. Just use you voice, your wit, your perseverance and "Never give up"...like Mary said. And eventually change will happen. It already is. So I have learned to love these women and hang with these women I love and adore so very much. More than anything I am so thankful to have them and that they get me and my complicated mess and they love me in spite of it. They are with me in my insane fight to change-they are all in. I am glad they are not quiet and that we can use our power and brains to find new ways to make change. This makes me happy. It is good to feel happy sometimes. Go women!!!Super Gorilla Women...all women!
http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2057714_2251980,00.html
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/women/notable.hthttp://www.afternoonteadoha.com/-tea
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