"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else."
i am not exactly sure why, but this time of year, i find myself thinking of and remembering erma bombeck. for me she is in a pantheon of women that i hold in very high esteem. this might seem odd, as i was never really part of her demographic, but her voice speaks to me, she moves me, she soothes my soul, and most importantly, she makes me laugh out loud.
i think i like her because she was honest about her short comings and wise enough to poke fun at herself before any one else could. she understood the value of getting the right line out there and making people laugh- she understood that it makes one powerful.
i admire her because she had her priorities straight and kept those priorities in order for her whole life. in other words, she did not bullshit. she made her choices, she owned her choices, and when it became crucial- she stood tall for the rights of other women to make their choices.
erma knew that women were made strong because they held the power that could change the world- they raised the next generations. she was wise enough to know that your husband could be a true partner and that raising boys into men counted as much toward equaling the playing field as raising girls to women.
i love her for honoring her marriage, putting her kids first, starting her career at nearly 40, for letting me know that coming up short is just the way it goes sometimes.
do you really know her story? do you know that she joined forces with other women and went on the road to try to get the ERA passed? do you know that she was an amazing daughter right to the end of her life? do you know that when she desperately needed a kidney, and could have used fame or money to secure one, she didn't?
as thanksgiving approaches, one the many things i will be thankful for is women like her who illuminate a path for those of us coming after.
"When I stand before God at the end of my life,I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and I could say,'I used everything you gave me.'"
