Networking with other women can be challenging. We run into other women in various environments, school, church, volunteer committees, friends of friends, but sometimes it is tough to move ourselves from the safe position of "hello", to putting ourselves out there. Women are such interesting creatures. Rarely is what we see on the surface a good representation of what is underneath. We are good at playing it safe, only allowing ourselves to be vulnerable with those in our absolute inner circle. Sometimes it can take years to cultivate an atmosphere comfortable enough to expose ourselves to the possibility of rejection. I have recently had the benefit, of having people let their guard down a little around me. I am not sure why that is happening, but I am grateful. People who I have been interested in getting to know, seem a little more open to me. Perhaps they read my blog, see me letting it all hang out, and feel like they know me a little. Hallelujah, what ever it takes. I remember years ago, when my oldest kids were in pre-school, there was a woman I saw at every pick-up time, every pre-school event, and we were both pregnant at the same time. I liked her laugh, and I could tell she was a loving Mom. I invited her kids to my son's birthday party. While we were watching the kids play, I said "Kelley, I think we might have a lot in common, want to be friends?" I know it sounds silly, but I was trying to reach out and make a friend with whom I was in a similar stage of life, and I thought she might fit the bill. Well that was about 11 years ago, and she is still one of my closest and dearest friends. If there is someone you would like to get to know, I would encourage you to ask her out to coffee, plan a play date, try to get to know her. Life is so much richer with friends, don't you think?
I am helping to prepare a baby shower for a young woman at our church. She is young, just 22. Thinking about her, and what the future may hold for her and her little family, got me to thinking about life at 22. Much has changed for me since I was 22. That was really a difficult time. I didn't realize at the time that it was difficult. I had graduated from college, was having a post college, pre-real life, super good time. I was bar tending, partying, picking up and traveling to far away places to party some more. I didn't really have much in the way of financial responsibility yet, and my parents were living in Egypt-- leaving me in charge of the house and my younger sister. It was an "out all night, sleep all day", kind of life. To be honest, I was setting a pretty poor example for my sister, who at the time was working full-time at a nursing home, and was far more responsible than I was. Looking back at that time, and even later, till about age 25, it make...
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