Wonderful, Wacky, Willful Women

You know it’s kinda funny, but as I considered all the women I know who have given me the confidence to push forward in the various areas of my life, I realized I couldn’t choose just one. There have been women who encouraged me musically and professionally. There are those wonderful women who mothered me and in turn helped me to mother. There are younger women who try hard to keep me in the 21st century. There were teachers who pushed me to learn when I couldn’t be bothered; counselors who helped keep my head on straight when I would have preferred to just let go. How can I pick just one of these?

So I will begin with Mom. Like all women and their mothers, Mom and I had a very definite love/hate relationship. There was no happy medium, no gray. Mom was a first-class bitch. I couldn’t please her, hell, no one could please her. But I never went to bed at night without a kiss and an I love you from her. Mom was married in the early 40's, had three daughters and then had the balls to leave a philandering husband. Things were tough, but she kept us together most of the time.

She was a self-proclaimed bleeding-heart Yankee liberal; and living in a small conservative town, that was lots of fun.

She rarely used bad language, but when I was just out of kindergarten and unable to attend first grade because my birthday wasn’t in the right place, she went to bat for me and the rest of the kids in the same predicament. I clearly remember standing on the steps of our Town Hall, holding her hand. She was talking with our town Selectman and the Superintendent of Schools. When the town official told her she couldn’t fight city hall, she replied (to my absolute shock), “maybe I can’t fight city hall, but I sure as hell can shit on the steps.” Yay Mom! Seven of us went to school that year that wouldn’t have without her intervention.

Mother encouraged me to read from an early age. The only things forbidden as reading material in our house were “true confession” magazines. She thought they were trash. She probably would have a shit fit if she saw me watching Jerry Springer (giggle). Because of her example and her encouragement, I now have a houseful of readers myself. Once again, thanks Mom!.

Sister Jeanne was my piano teacher from second grade through the middle of high school when she was transferred. She was a lovely, tiny Polish nun who was slightly crippled from some time in a concentration camp during World War II. She had lots of stories to tell a kid. Stories where people helped one another and the good guys won.

Sr. Jeanne taught me that math and music were inextricably intertwined. Sure made math easier! She waltzed me around and around the music room when the rhythm defeated me. She let me sing and play pop music when it was de rigueur elsewhere to only be exposed to the classics. She let me listen to the music in my head. That music is still playing.

My mother-in-law, Carolyn, was truly an inspirational woman. She reminded me that to forgive is divine. She showed me that physical pain cannot dim your faith in your God. She showed me that you can die with dignity and grace and without fear. And no matter what, she called me every week with the most horrendous dirty jokes. I love you, Carolyn.

There are a myriad of other women who have inspired me. There’s Joyce, my truck driving trainer. She laughed with me, at me. She called me dicklicker in the morning when she woke me up (and yep, that’s a term of endearment). She was driven to help me succeed not just in driving a truck, but in being a truck driver.

There’s my best friend from childhood. I can call her on the phone and continue a conversation we started two years go. I can count on her for unconditional emotional support. And she showed me that my friends can count on me for the same.

And last, but certainly not least, my daughter, Sarah and granddaughter, Amy. They keep me young. In an emotional turmoil most of the time, maybe, but certainly alive! Smoochies brat children.

So thank you to all the women in my life. My sisters and aunts. My cousins and nieces and my daughter and granddaughter. Life just wouldn’t be right or real without you.