Extraordinary, Ordinary Women
Written by Jen Monday, 18 May 2009 13:27
Blog
People driving in cars, captured for but a passing moment, are fodder for the imagination of the astute observer.
Have you ever looked at the facial expressions of individuals at the wheel? Ever wondered what they're thinking? What are their worries? Why are they laughing?
I tend to dream up lives for these folks. The woman with the frown at the stop light looks so serious. Perhaps she is worried about her sick child. The man talking animatedly on his cell phone is certainly arguing with his wife. The kid who just raced through that intersection is dangerously close to missing his curfew.
Everybody has a story. We pass people every day and can only guess what their lives are like.
Last Friday at a career networking retreat (Congruity Career Consulting's Career DreamShop), I had the privilege of meeting 13 women, learning about their lives and listening to their stories, still being written. We hashed out our hopes and dreams, the barriers we face and the experiences that make us unique and desirable in the marketplace. We planned for the future we want and helped connect each other with resources to make it attainable.
The experience was energizing, but not simply because I left with a plan and a confidence boost to put it into action. The catalyst for me was the glimpse it provided into the lives of ordinary women with incredible stories and immense potential. Long past adolescence, we women have lived! Many of the ladies I met have encountered immense hardship--some even tragedy--and yet stand strong and ready to tackle personal and career challenges with a vigor I find humbling.
Yes, I would characterize each of the women I met as accomplished. Whether she spent the last decade in a corporate power position or at home raising children, she has already achieved something amazing. And the best is yet to come.
What I can imagine for these women and so many like them--like us--is certainly not as good as what the future surely holds. Dream on, friends!
