When my mom was growing up and honestly where I grew up, everyone got married young and had babies early. They are primarily the same race, they wanted the same things in life and they often grew up to be stay at home mothers.
While I may end up doing the exact same thing and make no judgment on the women that chose that life, I am lucky enough to be blessed with a wider range of female role models.
Some of the women in my life are married, some single, some divorced and some divorced and remarried. Some have children and others do not. Some stay home to raise their children and others spend full time in the workforce. While the majority of the women in my life are the same race there are quite a few who are not. They differ in religion and overall beliefs. I accept them for who they are and in turn they do the same for me.
The women in my life mean the world to me.
There is my mom, whose kindness, compassion and love knows no bounds. My grandmother, a harder nut to crack, who warms and opens her heart only as her age advances. My friends who know I don’t open up easily, but who can still sense exactly what I’m thinking and feeling and most importantly accept me for all of my oddities.
My extended family members and friends, particularly the ones who have suffered through extraordinary illnesses and continue to strive to make the best of their hopes and dreams.
My massage therapist who knows almost everything there is to know about me, (that’s what happens when you seek massage two times a week for years on end), and yet never judges my thoughts or actions. My acupuncturist who opened my chakras and compassionately waited while the tears fell from my eyes. My surgeon who holds one of the most powerful positions at one of the most recognized hospitals and yet still understood that a patient like me just needed a hand on her shoulder. The female readers of One Frugal Girl who open up their hearts and minds to me. And who can forget my former coworkers, who have become some of my strongest supporters over the years.
As I’ve shared the news with the people I love these past few days I’ve realized just how much all of these women mean to me. I can’t imagine living in a cookie cutter world of female stereotypes and I feel unbelievably blessed that I get to share my life with an incredible group of women who don’t fit the mold!