Real Women

I was raised by a mother who, at all times, was fair, poised, tactful, beautiful, graceful and FIERCE. When I look at other women, 99% of the time, I compare them to my mother and the other real women in my life. You know, those women who are articulate, street smart, hard-working, and the like.

I was watching Michelle Obama’s speech at the DNC last night and throughout her speech, it was if my Mom was speaking to an audience. See, we all know that we aren’t alone in our daily walk (God is always with us) and that the road we are taking has been laid by someone else (how else would it get there?!). That road may not be the exact same path that someone else took, but the ground has been graded for the road to be paved, if it isn’t already. We all stand on so many shoulders and owe the next generation what our prior generation gave to us and better.

Michelle Obama spoke of family, shared values, hard work, determination and the future. These are all the things that I heard (and still hear) from the real women in my life. Not to say that the men in my life haven’t expressed the same concerns, but this post is about the women in my life.

My parents didn’t come from money. Didn’t receive a huge financial inheritance when their parents passed on, but the values that were instilled in them is more than any money could buy. They have passed on those values to us.

My Mom was (is….LOL) always telling me to think before I speak. Hold your shoulders back and walk tall. Do good in school and take in all that you can. Life isn’t fair, but work hard and you’ll move forward. She always was dressed to the nines and professional at all times. Classy, elegant and poised…..yeah, how a real woman should look and act.

Here is to all of the real women who are in my life and who have been in my life….I want to say THANK YOU for all that you’ve done, you do and continue to do for me and others.