Phenomenal Me

This post is in response to prompt #18: Phenomenal Women.

It’s hard to recognize a single woman who has influenced me. My life has had no shortage of phenomenal women, so here’s to all of them…

My mom who birthed me, raised me, and taught me what truly unconditional, unbreakable, infinite love is. Lucky for me, my grandmother also came with the package. My Bubbie loved family above all else. She taught me to cook, not with recipes but with love. I should only feel as beautiful and smart and perfect as I was in her eyes.

My sister, who above all else has been on the journey with me to womanhood. Sharing the most challenging and triumphant moments in young womanhood. Teaching me what I should look for in every friend I meet and expect nothing less than what she always shared with me.

My teachers, all of them, I never had a bad one. Mrs. Schneider, Mrs. Baranoff, Ms. Ritcher, Mrs. Kravitz, Mrs. Bliok, Mrs. Ortola. The teachers at E.M. Baker Elementary School in Great Neck, New York were outstanding. Each of them was special in their own way. Mrs. Schneider recognized me in a mall in Florida, almost ten years after I was in her Kindergarten class. Ms. Ritcher taught us to square dance. Mrs. Bliok brought back the fountain pen and taught us to write in cursive with the most beautiful peacock blue wet ink. Mrs. Ortola gave us our own checking accounts and had an archeological dig in a giant raised sandbox. They instilled a love of learning in me during the most important time in my development.

My friends’ moms, the ones who were like mine, and the ones who weren’t. Julie’s mom, Linda, who was a wonderful artist and hand calligraphied all of the neighborhood Bar-Mitzvah invitations and hosted sleepover birthday parties. Jennifer’s mom, Carolyn, the school librarian who treated me like I was her own. Gillian’s mom, Suzanne, who was a musical free spirit who allowed us to explore the same in ourselves. And Stacy’s mom, Judy, who took me in like her own and even on family vacations, when my parents were splitting up.

My co-workers at the domestic violence center, where I had my first “grown-up” job. I learned to put others before self and became hooked on working in the non-profit sector. All of them for helping me understand women’s issues, and the challenges of women of color, and how a grassroots organization of women can empower a community.

My friends who have survived tragedies, losing children, losing parents. Fighting their way out of financial challenges and broken families. Committing themselves to be the best parents, teachers, nurses, artists, writers, lawyers, realtors, human beings they can be.

My grade school students over the years who have fought poverty, trauma, abuse, learning difficulties, broken homes, mental illness, or just childhood in general in the 21^st century.

My college students who are raising children, working full time, supporting their families, and going to school. And doing really well at all of it.

There are so many more. The women I work with now at PACE. They give everything, heart and soul to the young women we serve. We all try to live by example and role model for the young women in our center. We work tirelessly to help them see the possibilities in life.

I am inspired everyday by the phenomenal women in my life, young and old. I learn from them every day, about kindness and grace. About forgiveness and love. About persistence and commitment. About sacrifice and beauty. About being a phenomenal woman. All of them are part of me and who I am as a woman. I am phenomenal because of them.