A sweet little nuthatch we saw in our yard. A few minutes later we heard its mama chirping high in the sky, and then witnessed their joyful reunion.
I'm participating in a meme I saw at SheWrites. The topic was near and dear to my heart. It simply asked, "Who are the women who inspire you?" It's something I've been thinking a lot about lately so this was very timely.
I already posted about my grandmother, who raised five daughters and one son with remarkable poise. One of the daughters she raised, my mother, was very similar to her and was the inspiration behind my starting this blog - I wanted to remember and to transmit the kind of simple, joyful childhood she helped create.
I also have a friend, Marie, who is battling illness with amazing serenity and joy. Whenever I spend time with her I come away feeling a renewed determination to live life with gratitude and with generosity. I fall short of that ideal too much of the time but love having a friend nearby who embodies it. She's wonderful.
My friend Laura has been my friend and champion for well over twenty years now. From the moment we first met in a history class in college, I knew her to be a kindred spirit. She's a devoted mother, an amazing crafter who knitted for me until I finally learned how to knit, and she's also a great children's librarian.
Jennifer Margulis is a really inspiring writer and one of the most generous people I know. I love talking with her and reading about her take on life, writing, and all else - I relate to her a lot and only wish we had more time for good conversations! (We both have four children - and our babies are the same age. Life is hectic; good conversations will have to wait).
My friends Melinda Rothstein and Rachel Milgroom founded what I think is one of the most awesome nonprofits out there - DiaperFreeBaby :-) Thanks to their efforts, the idea of elimination communication (gentle infant pottying) has come such a long way - from being a fringe idea to becoming a simple option to full-time diapering. It's so neat to see what two mothers can accomplish when they want to.
And Alexandra Grabbe is a grandmother and activist and fellow blogger - her writing is always a good reminder to me that we all care for the earth, together. Read her sweet post on growing older, too.
My heroines are women who have a desire and drive to make the world a better place in some way and touch the people around them. There are so, so many other inspiring women around me too - I feel grateful for their presence, always!
Who are the women who have had a positive impact on your own life?
