Thanks to the great women in my life...

Today it is International Women's day.  It might be a day overtaken by businesses using it for marketing, but I for one am so so grateful that I have so many amazing women in my life. For example, today I have...

• worked with some amazing passionate women
• talked to women, I listened to women and I advocated for women
• listened to some excellent advice from my manager (a woman with presence)
• took some treats to my sister who probably has Covid
• messaged my women friends
• took my youngest daughter with me in the car and we did chores together and chatted about stuff
• listened to my strong wonderful friend talk about women who never found the limelight

I'm not usually that keen to celebrate International women's day, but this year I am working in a new role and I share this role with an incredible woman. I was initially very anxious about what it would be like, sharing work with someone else and I joked that it was like an arranged marriage. I have discovered that it is a wonderful thing to have a coworker in management who listens to what you say and does not feel obliged to belittle you in any way. Someone who truly has your back and that you can trust.  Someone who is working every bit as hard as you are. Someone who you genuinely like and can be honest with. 

So this year, I'm just taking a moment to be so grateful, and to celebrate the truly good women in my life. I know I have always had good women in my life (hi mum, hi to my sisters) but it is a new thing for me to work with women and it's so so good.

(The photo is a picture of my friend Miriam Fisher's work. She has done a thesis that includes hours and hours of handwork. Her exhibition is called A Whakapapa of Faith - conversations in stitch and poetry and you can see it till Sunday March 13  from 10am - 4:30pm every day at the Pūmanawa Gallery at The Arts Centre.)