Being Surrounded by Tough Women...........How Fortunate for Me

I realized this weekend the extent to which I am surrounded by tough women, both personally and professionally.  I had the opportunity to interact with all of the women in my personal life this weekend and I can only marvel at what they are made of.  From my mother and mother-in-law, both who are full of life at 87 and soon to be 88.  Both sharp as can be mentally and my mother-in-law can tire me out by just watching her.  Both have buried husbands and have gone about their lives remarkably well.  

Then there is my wife, who is my world and to this day is a remarkable mother, always there for her daughters in whatever they need.  When they are having a tough day, she usually gets the call and talks them through whatever challenge they may be facing.  She exercises wonderful judgement and has great common sense, a trait that seems to be lacking in many today.  On top of that, she's a nurse and what she has learned and experienced benefits her mother, mother-in-law, husband, daughters, dogs, a son-in-law and the list goes on.  

As for the daughters, two remarkable women in their own right.  Jessica, who works for Boeing and is their manager of Global Corporate Citizenship along with being Master's prepared from Georgetown University, is dealing with her husband's bout with cancer.  She works all day, dinner meetings in the evenings and then onto speaking engagements after that.  Balancing her professional life with a very challenging personal life at this point in time...........there are many days that I marvel as to how she keeps it together.  

Lauren, the USNA graduate and Navy Lt., is assigned to Fort Meade responsible for Internet security for the White House and Defense Department, along with pursuing her MBA in her "spare time."  Need I say more?   

Then there are the women with whom I work, wow!  What they do day in and day out to keep this health system operating and financially sound.  Their interactions with physicians and staff along with providing care delivery in a way that is so cutting edge, it is done by very few in the industry.  They are amazing; sensitive when they need to be, but tough beyond tough when situations call for it.  These women are afraid of very little as they face challenges every day.  But, most importantly, they don't care how they are judged by others because they are tough, seasoned women who are overflowing with both a great self- esteem and very strong self-confidence.  

I am truly blessed to have all of these absolutely wonderful women in my life.