Today is International Women’s Day, and I’m embarrassed to say I’ve paid little to no attention to it in the past. For some reason though, it’s on my mind this year.
I’ve been inspired by a lot of women in my life. My own Mum was fortunate enough not to need a paying job and was everpresent in our schools and in the community whether it was on field trips, extra-curriculars teaching girls to knit, directing school plays and performing in community theatre and singing groups among other pursuits.
My first boss was a true inspiration. She was a respected force in a male-dominated industry. She worked hard and smart, but she understood the importance of getting away as well. I once remember her telling us that if the plant site we worked at blew up, we needed to phone a small store and that they’d send a boat to the island where her cottage was to try and find her! It’s hard to be that unplugged in today’s wired world, but I try to emulate that balance as much as I can. She’s remained a mentor to me throughout my career and has been a great sounding board over the years.
Today, I work in a very technical industry, and while men still dominate, I have many, many incredibly intelligent and accomplished women as colleagues. Armed with Masters and Doctorate degrees, they tackle complex issues every day, in a pursuit to develop and deliver technology in which they believe passionately. I’m often humbled by them.
A friend of mine, far across the seas, is a single mother to a disabled daughter (and a great son as well). I finally got a chance to meet her children this past summer, and I’m in awe of how she juggles her personal life, her business and her hobbies with grace and dignity. Another friend has devoted her recent career to working for charitable organizations that are actually “doing something” to help the less fortunate, which humbles me. Still others are teachers, and I can’t even begin to imagine dealing with middle school and high school students all day long!
I know women who have gone back to school to change their careers — taking risks that are way to daunting for me.
I’m the chair of the local chapter of a women’s industry group and have met some amazing women as part of that work. One in particular has powers of persuasion that have are second to none.
My province has a woman premier – in fact, earlier this year, five of Canada’s ten provinces were headed by women (we’re now down to four) – a remarkable achievement. I wonder how long it will be until we have another woman Prime Minister!
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Women in my circle are inspirational for all kinds of reasons. With or without children, with or without careers, with or without parents to care for, we’re all inspirational in ways we may not even realize.
What inspiring women do you know? Share your stories with me on this day of honouring women.
