I might have mentioned before (then again, maybe not) that I come from some exceptional stock. A more fitting name could not be found for them than The League of Extraordinary Women. The list includes people who are blood related and some that are not, but they've all helped shaped me along the road of this crazy life.
My mother, The Great G, is always the first on the list...not only did she give birth to me, but she showed me what it is to not just survive the things that cause turmoil in our lives, but how to LIVE in spite of those damned moments. She's been through so much in her life and, yet, still continues to grow, change, learn and love as she lives the best life she can. Her writing sparked the writer in me at a very young age and I have constantly held myself up to the highest standard that I can in my writing...The Great G. The imagery that she can put down in one line can paint a picture so beautifully of what she is trying to express that it has been known to take my breath away. The work ethic that she has always held taught me that if you work hard, do what is right, then you can and will achieve great things...she works in a typically male job and has made a name for herself in more ways than one. The list of positive attributes would be endless if I were to even try to write it all down.
She has two sisters that have paved the way in their own lives in different ways. One, The Melodious MA, overcoming obstacles to finally become the music teacher we all knew she was Gifted to be...always the littlest sister, but never left behind in what she has achieved through the work and determination that only the Women of the League can possess. The other sister, The Marvelous M, working in an area that few women still dare to go, but doing the job and doing it well. She is a perpetual reminder (through action not word) that my emotional self is not a thing to be feared or conquered, but something instead to holds hands with, embrace, and learn to walk down the Path of Recovery knowing that it's okay to feel as long as I keep moving. She has found ways to keep moving through some of the most horrible pain that a person can go through and she's still here...and still amazing!
Each of these women learned at the feet of a great master, their mother, my grandmother. A woman who never begrudged a child curling up in bed with her as she said her rosary each night...even when we chattered on endlessly like the little monkeys we were! She would smile, talk a little with us and keep on with her rosary as we would ramble on. Her contagious laughter, always a gift, could be heard through any room of her small home...a gift she has passed on to her daughters and they have passed on to theirs'...yeah, you might not ever want to be near if/when we all get together! She was a Leader in every sense of the word and our lives are better for having her in it. I am forever proud to share my name with hers.
The ranks of the League are not confined to only blood relatives, as I said. My "Big Sister" taught me about music, acceptance and how to be who you truly are, no matter how hard it is to finally be it. The Queen of TCT's Children's Workshops, one of The Great G's best friends, taught me how to breathe, act, relax, about art and how to make her special syrup out of honey and fruit when the two women were trying to feed all 4 of their combined kiddos on a budget.
I could keep going for days about these women and a few more, but I don't think anyone would be able to read for that long...So I'll close with this: I am honored to know these women and grateful that they have helped to shape the me I am today. Who's in your League?
