First, I admire certain women who value giving life and sustaining life. As sacrifice seems to be out of vogue, I particularly want to add my admiration to the women of this world who embrace motherhood. They see this opportunity as a calling not a curse, a blessing, not a burden. Recently I met a mother from Jamaica, whose eyes lit up as she told me about her sons, and a daughter from Nigeria who glowingly spoke of the sacrifices her mother made so that her family could be educated. I see this quality across the cultures and the nations, and it inspires me and gives me strength.
Secondly, I am grateful for those certain women who honor their influence. A woman's role is somewhat veiled as well as her power. Historically she wasn't in the first line for property, prestige or popularity. Often women's influence is unacknowledged and unnoticed but is in and throughout every good thing on this earth. While her name may not be as the author of the book, the painter of the masterpiece or the victor of the race, her thoughts, teachings, and influence are in and throughout every successful thing. I suggest at least in part her power is in her moral influence, desire to create bonding, perpetuate goodness, invite posterity, and influence on the youngest on earth who are most impressionable and teachable. Historically her example, love and influence are generally the first and most lasting. Is it possible that the greatest literature, painting, poetry, music, plans, and more had earliest beginnings at mother's knee? Is any great accomplishment independent of a woman's influence?
Certain women have great influence: like Joan of Arc, they are true to who they are. Like Mother Teresa, they seek to lift those around them. Like Sojourner Truth, they speak out for truth. Like my neighbor, they act on inspiration and lead those around them. Like my mother, they love being a mother. Like my daughters, they make everything around them more beautiful. Influence today can be a thousand times more powerful than in the past due to increased opportunity, awareness and social media, giving me examples of thousands of women who give me strength by the lives of integrity they live.Thirdly, I admire those "certain women" who understand it is collaboration to seek, not competition with men. Recently I attended a world discussion of how to address refugee problems and third world inequality challenges. After nearly an hour of one sided discussion focusing on women, a participant wisely asked, "What are doing to involve men in solving the problem?" In our conversation after, she stated, "Well, we aren't going to solve this without them!"
Certain women that I admire and seek to emulate are everywhere, in my home, neighborhood, city, nation and world. These certain women have courage, love, vision and are true to who they are. And so many valiantly stand at the gate of mortality, with the clarity of Eve, they understand the future is only possible because of their life giving choices.
