One of the best outcomes of writing a weekly post is that I find myself, especially as the weekend approaches, living life “eyes wide open,” wondering what moment, what event, what person(s) will move me to write something that inspires.
This week was a bit different. As Friday approached, I took a few quiet moments (in my car, on a long drive to a client’s office, with the radio off so I could “hear” my wandering thoughts) and reflected on the week that had passed. There were content moments, celebratory moments, sad moments and in each of these, my wandering thoughts found a common theme.
Women, cheering each other on, holding each other up, energized by each other’s passions and stories.
In 2011, I was surprised with the honor of being selected one of the Dallas Business Journal’s Women in Business Honorees. This past week, the DBJ WIB from a span of a decade, gathered to celebrate the new “class of honorees” and catch up with other WIB honoree alums. We hugged, we listened to each other, we toasted and we celebrated. And as each new member of the “club” said a few words about her passions, her obstacles and her goals as an honored WIB, the energy could not be contained.
Women, cheering each other on, holding each other up, energized by each other’s passions and stories.
Later in the week, a group of incredible women that I had known for almost 20 years as we had raised our children 
together in the same community and same school, gathered. We gathered on a painful anniversary. We gathered to pray and support one of our mom-friends who is living the nightmare of losing a child. We came together, even though our friend was on a much-needed respite out of the country with her family to somehow get thru this anniversary she never wanted, never asked for. We came together for her, for her beautiful daughter and, it became quite apparent as we hugged and caught up a bit, that we came together for each other. We didn’t know what else to do on this anniversary that had shaken us all. So we did the only thing we knew how to do…we gravitated towards each other for an hour or so, reflected and found comfort in just being together.
Women, cheering each other on, holding each other up, energized by each other’s passions and stories.
Yes, SHE friends, that was this week’s common theme. Not just those moments with other incredible women, new friends and longtime comrades, but the feelings I experienced in the depth of my soul in each of the experiences.
As I gathered with other women, I found comfort. I found a rekindled purpose. I found the best part of me, brought out by the amazing SHE’s in my life.
Going into this next week, I encourage each of you, if you are fortunate enough to be a part of any instance where women gather, to listen and be aware, not only of what is being said, but most importantly, about how you feel about yourself in that moment.
Note from the SHE Files: Where SHE friends gather, magic can be found
