LIFESTYLE

When I awoke Sunday morning, the plan was to go over my speech for The National Woman’s Show. The hockey tournament continued into Sunday morning, with the final game at 10:30am. Surely I had been to both games on Saturday, and all his grandparents, his dad and brother were going to be there on Sunday to cheer him on. I hadn’t yet perfected my speech, and I had already been to the bathroom three times from nerves. I HAD to go over it and rehearse it. But when I said to him, “Mommy is not going to be able to make it to your game this morning,” I saw the disappointment in his eyes. I saw the sadness on his face. And then, the dagger of guilt through my heart! I knew he needed me there. And so, here was the defining moment of all my years as mom, where I truly realized that family comes first. It was where the word PRIORITIES and everything I speak of in my book and speeches came true to life. So, I chose my kid. Whether it was wrong or right to show up 5% less prepared, but having not missed out on his gold metal, is debatable. And I sat on the fence with this decision.

I feel that out of all the blog posts I’ve shared with you, this one should leave the biggest impact. I had the good fortune of meeting an incredible woman many years ago… twenty three to be exact. I was young, single, and I was shopping for towels and linens for my new apartment. When I was walked into the linen store, it was awe at first glance. At the first sight of this woman, I felt something. I can’t explain exactly what it was. She was a foreigner, she was young and beautiful, I would later find out she was a working mom, and her spirit somehow touched me that first day.

Now please stay with me here. Most of us are born into a religion (unless you’re an atheist), with different customs and beliefs. Some are more devout and religious followers of their religion, others more conservative and reform in their traditions. And while we all have different degrees of religiosity, I do understand why some people are devout believers and followers of their religions. In a big and scary world, religious customs and traditions provide a sense of comfort, order and security. It provides answers for many of life’s questions. I get it. With all of life’s hardships, and little children dying of cancer for no reason, for example, we are made to believe this suffering has a purpose, and perhaps a good place awaits our loved one in heaven. With the possibility of assimilation, keeping the tradition in one’s home keeps the continuity of religion alive, and allows it to be passed down from generation to generation. Personally, this is why I choose to follow Judaism. So that I can keep it alive and pass it on to my children.

Much to my astonishment, inspiration in fact surrounds our lives in places we don’t look hard enough to notice. There is, if you look closely enough, something to be inspired about every day. And as I see it, it’s inspiration to aspiration. I’m inspired to aspire to something richer, better perhaps even more righteous. I can truly say that I appreciate the sometimes not so obvious little nuggets of inspiration that appear in my daily life. When I stop and appreciate them, my glass is half full, my routine less numb and I am truly inspired.

I love Tina Turner and everything she stands for – confidence, tenacity, resilience, woman of action. If I asked you who you consider to be a woman of action, what would you answer?
Gloria Steinem? Oprah Winfrey? Hillary Clinton? Eunice Kennedy Shriver?