Make new friends and keep the old...

(apologies to all the former Girl Scouts who now have that "Silver and Gold" song stuck in their heads!)

If I'd forgotten how many amazing women I have in my life, this week was a wonderful reminder.

Last weekend, I accomplished another of my forty goals by reconnecting with my Wells College sisters at a gathering in Boston. It's funny how you can forget how much you missed certain people until you see them again, especially after a 15+ year absence...that's how it was seeing Jessi and Renee. What was truly wonderful was realizing that our connection was still there...we didn't simply spend the whole evening reminiscing and laughing about our college days (though there was plenty of that, too). You know what I mean...don't we all have old friends who were SO important to us at one point in our lives, but as the years pass, you realize all you have in common is that you grew up in the same neighborhood, or had a crush on the same boy in junior high? Not to say that's a terrible thing...it's life. We grow in different directions, and it's ok. But I'm thankful that some of my most cherished Wells friendships are deeper than time or space--sure, it's not the same as when we lived on the same hallway and shared a bathroom, but that's a good thing.

As if a dose of Wells wasn't enough to buoy me through a hectic week, I made many new friends at the YMCA's Strongest Women contest this week. I entered the contest, like most of them, to push myself a little bit and see just how strong I could be if I put my mind to to it (and, like most of us, we also wanted to support the Y's most awesome fitness specialist, Jesse Wall, the mastermind behind this contest!) It was so much more than any of us expected. There aren't nearly enough opportunities for women to celebrate being strong--really strong!--and be surrounded by others who are cheering for us to push way beyond what we think we are capable of. I don't think there was a single woman who participated who didn't amaze herself at least once--nor was there a woman who didn't inspire all the rest of us. I can't even fully explain how transformational the event was for me. Just amazing. Thanks, Jesse...and thank you to all the women (you know who you are!) who made it so much more than a weight lifting contest.

It's been quite a month...I have accomplished more of my 40 goals than I expected, adn yet I have a long way to go. For those of you who've told me you're making your own lists after reading about my journey--first of all, thank you for taking the time to tell me I've inspired you in some way. That's a gift that I treasure more than you can possibly imagine. Secondly--please let me know how you're progressing! Take it from me...the experience is that much more powerful when you share it with others.

Be well!