How Rare Are You?

The less I drive, the more I talk on the phone. The one-with-one is onederful. Today I'm happily catching up on the free minutes weekend time. Groups are fun, but individual conversation is more revealing and deep and I don't have to drive to a gathering. Talking with a friend about a legal matter, she wondered how many women were in her situation. Am I the only one? I laughed because what we do not want to be is rare, as in the only one on the whole planet. My cancer surgeon told me you do not want to be an interesting case. Two divorces in my life and I gave each the marital home I bought. Gave houses away. That's not the rare I want to be, but it is what it is. As my friend talked, and we thought about rarity, I flipped the mirror. We both are rare positively. She retired as a successful engineer when there were no other women at her level in her field. Just her. Talking with another friend who is feeling as I am - muddled and meandering - I shared the "How Rare Are You?" laugh, and then the more interesting serious consideration. I pointed to the extraordinary things she's done in her life. She raised wonderful children to be good parents themselves, owned a machine tool company at a time when women did not do that, grew herself to be the powerful, secure woman she is today. We forget our accomplishments, our masterful strides, our contribution, our gifts. What have you done in your life that is remarkable? How are you extraordinary? When have you surmounted incredible odds to be successful? Many of us have performed feats that others would find daunting, if not impossible. Women always have done, and always will. That's what women do. We're rare, wonderful and interesting creatures.