Inspiring Women

I am inspired by women. Women love and serve others so naturally; but we all have an incredibly difficult time loving ourselves. In my

quest to love myself and understand who I really am and what I want to be, I have been inspired by the examples of other women. Diet Coke has a new ad campaign rolling out in the 1st quarter of 2011 called, "Be Extraordinary." Maybe you've seen the billboards? They say things like, "Be a go-go-go-getter," and, "Be an over-over achiever." I was drawn to these messages right away. So I Googled the campaign and found the video linked below. It shares a :60 spot from the Diet Coke ad featuring commentary on success from Sonia Kashuk, a celebrity stylist. I totally agree with her sentiment. Her obvious passion is inspiring.

Watch Sonia's comments at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC-Cmw7ntFU&feature=channel

I have been continually inspired by a female author I worked with at Cedar Fort publishing company. Carol Lynn Pearson's book, "Beginnings and Beyond" is a collection of her timeless poetry, inspired by women she has "known and been." I reread this book on a regular basis because the messages within it's pages inspire me with a deeper understanding of who I am and who I want to be. Here is one of my favorite poems from Beginnings and Beyond.

A Drama in Two Acts

By Carol Lynn Pearson

I dim

I dim

I have no doubt

If someone blew

I would go out.

I did not.

I must be brighter

Than I thought.

I believe we are all "brighter" than we thought. It's the journey of a lifetime to discover just how bright.

I am inspired by a neighbor of mine. She is a mother of 5, a grandmother, a wife of 30+ years, a daughter of an aged mother, a friend, a care-giver, and one extraordinary woman. Despite many challenges and setbacks she maintains a positive attitude and manages to lift others even on days when she could use a little lifting herself. Her faith is strong and her love knows no bounds. She is a women who embodies the mantra, "Charity Never Faileth." Here is just one example of many I could share of Joan's matchless love. I was recently struggling with my children at church while Adam was away. I was on the verge of tears as I watch other perfectly reverent children quietly enjoy the peace that permeates our church congregation. My children on the other hand, were jumping up and down on the pew, running around the chapel and shouting out ridiculous things at the top of their lungs. I thought, "What am I doing here? How can I survive just 10 more minutes?" Just when I was ready to walk out and take my kids home for time-outs Joan sat next to me. She smiled and hugged my shoulder and took my most troubling child. She didn't wait for an invitation from me, she wasn't concerned about the peace and quiet she was giving up, she just showed up when I needed her. Since then she has invited me to sit with her any time I want. Joan Sattler is extraordinary and inspires me with her love.

These women inspire me because they are passionate, insightful, strong and filled with charity. Hmmm. I think I may have a clue about who and what I want to be.

In the new Alice and Wonderland, Alice says, "I can sometimes do 6 impossible things before breakfast." That's my kind of girl!