Blogher, Blogher, everyone's talking about Blogher

I didn't go this year. Too many other things happening right now. I would like to next year, I think it would be great to be among women with lofty goals and desires. Taking a stroll through these women bloggers has got me thinking.

The awakening of the women's movement in the early 60s has paid off big time. I grew up in the midst of the ERA. By the time I had graduated from high school real changes were being made in the way women were treated in the workplace. Yes, I'll agree many things haven't changed. However, more good has happened than bad since the 70s for women.

I was still one of those suppressed women when I graduated high school. At one point I was encourage to seek an education past high school, but it was to pursue a traditionally woman's place in society. I was not told to dream big, but to prepare myself for being married. Ugh. I didn't have a father figure in my life that was a success so I had no where to turn to see what my possibilities could be. I wanted to be a translator at the UN. (yes, I'm that old) I had a proficiency for languages in my youth and thought it would be the way to use my talent and be successful. What I was told was that it was in NYC and that being single I could never survive there. This coming from a woman who had to raise her four children, mostly by herself. Hmmmm. Not to fault mom, but I think she was heavily ingrained in traditional roles, even as a single mom.

Now I look around at women 10 to fifteen years younger than myself and am amazed. Women are doing fantastic things that women of my generation just dreamed of most of the time. I do know of a few women my age that have set out to be successful in business and accomplished their goals. However, not many. Most of us took our roles as wives and mothers and did it pretty well. I will say we also had a lot of influence over young girls, growing up a few years behind us. Not only were we telling them that they could be great moms and wives, but we were also encouraging them to get an education, to dream big, and that they could be anything they wanted to be. Even if all they wanted to be was a mom.

So all of you 30 somethings out there, you are standing on some pretty good shoulders. We're not just old women, we're the women that helped get you where you are today. We applaud your success, revel in it actually. Just remember that even with all the success, that family does come first, that home and hearth are important, and yes, you can have it all.

I picked the bloggers above because they have impressed me with their tenacity, creativity, positivity, and abilities, not because they attended BlogHer. There are so many others I could add, just check my sidebar. Just so ya know.