No Boys Allowed

Great things are happening in the lives of some of the most special women I know.  Today, my daughter graduated Pre-K.  I didn’t know it was possible to be this proud of such a small lady.  And, my BFF Pamala passed her counseling certification test.  She has worked so hard for so long for this.  She is seriously one of the best people I know, and psychology and therapy are her passions. 

On top of that, I have recently become a member of a super-secret Facebook group full of supportive, intelligent, passionate, hysterical women.  I can’t tell you their names, or even the name of the group.  We’re like undercover bitch sisters.  I honestly can’t overstate how much these women have helped me in the last few weeks, given the ridiculous shit that sometimes comes about in my life. 

I’m so incredibly lucky to be surrounded by strong, smart, sassy, supportive women.  I wish I had been that fortunate in my youth.  Being a girl, growing into a woman, is so much more difficult without that kind of guidance and support.  Luckily, my baby girl has multiple women to help guide her through the process of becoming a fierce, independent, take-no-shit woman.  Which is why I’m setting up a photo shoot including all these women who have been, and hopefully will continue to be, influential in her life.  It will include, obviously she & I, but also my sister Becca, Pamala, my mother and her paternal grandmother, my sister in law, and – believe it or not – the ex-husband’s girlfriend. 

At first glance, none of us have anything in common.  Our ages range from 20-68.  Our educations include everything from high school to Master’s level.  We are single, divorced, married.  Some of us are mothers, or grandmothers, or have no children.  We have jobs, we are homemakers, we are retired.  But we are all women.  We all know, and intimately understand, the challenges, struggles, ridiculousness, and triumphs of being a woman.  And we all love Sarah.

It is incredibly important to me as a woman and mother to a girl, that I do everything possible to empower my daughter.  That includes letting her know that she is surrounded by women who love her, who will guide her, who will help her, in any way possible as she navigates her life.  A group of women, brought together by love and the bonds of sisterhood.  As lucky as Sarah is to have so many people who love her in her life, I’m even luckier:  I’m her mother.