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A couple of days ago, I described “one of those days” where, in addition to the things on my own agenda, I had an event or meeting connected with each of my three kids to attend. So, a day that started with us leaving together at about 7:30 a.m. ended with me returning home to settle in for the night some time after 10:30 p.m.
The last event of the day was a parent’s meeting for my middle daughter’s Daisie troop. We needed to discuss the end of the year, how we would bridge into Brownies and what activities we wanted to plan for the year ahead. The two women leading the meeting were very organized with a clear agenda and structure so that our time was used wisely.
At some point along the way, however, as we plugged through the agenda, the meeting got a bit personal, in a really good way. It started with a request for those who had been girl scouts to share their thoughts about the most memorable activities they did as kids so that we might consider those activities for our group. This conversation grew into sharing about a wide scope of life experiences: discipline, peer relationships, childhood chatter, the “talk,” fashions of our youth, childbirth and more.
I typically work a bit in the evenings, so initially I was mindful of my time. At one point, when there seemed to be a shift, I readied my bag. But the conversation drew me back in. It felt good to be part of a community of women who were so open to sharing their stories, good and bad, and offer comfort and support when it came to the sticky stuff. As the meeting wound down we found ourselves saying that WE needed to have more Daisie meetings.
Over the past several weeks, I have been thinking a lot about my own support system, growing it and nurturing it, becoming a part of the support systems of others for whom I care, and developing new relationships based on who and where I am today. Several people expressed how fun it was to sit, talk and share and suggested that we do so again and I’m all for it. This Daisie meeting reinforced for me the value of peer relationships and how powerfully women can support and empower one another.
In a conversation a couple of weeks ago, I wondered whether it was possible to establish deep and meaningful relationships at this stage in life. Many people have friends that they have had since childhood, grade school or college. Others have shared their transition to motherhood and have developed deeply routed bonds. Others connect over work-life and career. This gathering reminded me that relationships come in all shapes, sizes and forms to fill all kinds of spaces in our lives. It’s what we do to develop those relationships that determines what will evolve, or not.
Carolyn
@ApplyWithin / @EnterprisingMom / @EcoActiveFamily