Wednesday, April 28, 2010

INSPIRATION GENERATION

My generation of women demonstrated against the Vietnam War, burned our bras, and founded the Women’s Lib movement. Along the way, some of us discovered drugs and free love. My friends and I wore bell bottoms, competed for corporate jobs, and had nannies.

Our daughters watched. They watched their Mommies pack lunches, wear pearls and pantyhose, write business plans, and worship Steven Covey. They also watched us cook meals, schlep them around to soccer games, and bake cookies. Our daughters were much more observant than we thought they were. They learned from us.

Our daughters learned how to multi task. Some of them became techno geniuses and helped invent the gadgets that have made multi tasking so manageable. Others used their burgeoning awareness of opportunities for women to become highly paid professionals in careers that were not yet open to their mothers’ generation.

This group of talented girls, now into their twenties and thirties, makes achievement look like a walk in the park. They have careers. They run marathons. They cook like Ina Garten. They look like Cameron Diaz, and they entertain like Martha Stewart.

I have observed my two daughters become women that I could never imaging being. One speaks Spanish fluently, teaches high school, and mentors inner city children, while keeping horses and showing them regularly all over the country. My other daughter is a talent agent, a wine consultant, and a professional hostess who schedules wine tastings and dinner parties several times a week

I have been in awe of both of my girls since they were teens. They do things right now that I still have on my bucket list. They are confident, bold, and a little sassy! They lead their lives instead of following life, a job, or a man around.

Now they are approaching parenthood. I know my girls won’t be the Mom I was. They will be efficient, involved, inspiring, and yet nurturing. They will tire themselves out and sell themselves short, just as we did raising them. But just as our generation learned from our Mothers, this group of enterprising young women has done the same. Unlike us, they won’t put off adventure in favor of parenthood. They won’t worry about starting families in their thirties or beyond. They won’t work for others—they will create their own enterprises. Our daughters will be their own bosses. Call the shots.

My girls don’t think I am watching them. But I do. And what I see them doing each day enthralls and amazes me. This generation of young women is ASTOUNDING.

Their Mothers and Grandmothers take all the credit.

19 comments:

  1. What a wonderful tribute to your daughters, I'm sure they owe much of who and what they are to you.

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  2. I'm just about to email this to my mom :) But you are right there towards the end... Mothers and grandmothers deserve all the credit :)

    My mom has never pushed me to do anything but I know that she has always had high expectations for her three daughters. She acknowledges how very unique we are and is patient with us. Contrary to popular belief, my mom has never assumed that she knows what is best for us -- instead, she has helped us figure that out ourselves and supports us in all our endeavors.

    Really enjoyed this post. I guess it's not realistic to hope that I can keep up with my kids when I get to that point in my life... instead, I'll just hope that they'll let me have a very spacious box suite to watch them race and cheer them on :)

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  3. And should take the credit! We're who we are today because of our mamas and grandmamas. :) Great post!

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  4. This is lovely, Molly! Another beautiful and well-said piece :-D

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  5. This is such a nice tribute. Brought a little tear.

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  6. Thank you all. I must be in the Mothers' Day mood. Bless your Moms!

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  7. What a lovely post and tribute to your daughters, very moving!
    We all do our best as mothers.Like you,I'm in awe of my children, they're only 10 and 5 but they amaze me.
    Happy mother's Day

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  8. Inspiring. One day, I will mark my path. :)

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  9. One generation teaches another, it's true!

    Pearl

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  10. Beautifully written. Congratulations on the Erma Bombeck Award - I loved her. Thanks for stopping by my site.

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  11. Your "about me" is hilarious. Anyway, a great post and your daughters must be proud to have someone like you as a mom too.

    PS> congrats on the erma bombeck award -- that is FABULOUS!

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  12. Joan and Alex: thanks for the congrats. Winning the award has opened a lot of doors for me. I will now be a regular contributor to www.momswhoneedwine.com thanks so much for visiting my blog.

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  13. You sound like a proud mom, and that's perfectly fine!

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  14. If you start your children off with a strong foundation built of hope and inspiration, then they fly strong and aim higher than you ever dreamed possible. I love this post, thanks for sharing. :)

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  15. It was so nice seeing you the other day Aunt Molly! My mom sent me the link to this post and I loved it; you are a wonderful writer. Talk to you soon!

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  16. Lovely post - stopping by from Ann's Rants to read your favorite Motherhood story and am so glad I did.

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  17. Visiting from Ann's Rants, this is so very amazing.

    I also love your about me! I take every chance I get to point out the fact that my husband is older than me!

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