There seems to be an international day for just about everything, but there is one I’ll be paying homage to. Next Tuesday is International Women’s Day, and according to the United Nations it’s “a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role.”
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In Griffith the occasion will be celebrated with a breakfast on Friday March 11 hosted by the local branch of Soroptimist International – an organisation that is “a global voice for women.”
In the invitation to the event I read about guest speaker Jane Caro. Jane is a “renowned author, social commentator, columnist, broadcaster and award winning advertising writer”. Jane appears frequently on TV but is also the mother of two daughters, a wife, a beef producer and a timber grower. By her own admission, Jane has a “low boredom threshold”.
That last bit gave me a wry smile as it resonated loud and clear. I also have a low boredom threshold.
The moment I printed my own ticket for the breakfast (very 21st century), there was an ensuing brain-frenzy. My thoughts raced to school drop-off, homework obligations, uniforms, lunch orders…My hands were equally as frantic reaching for post-it notes and a pen that worked to relay all the instructions.
Now, while my hubby is more than capable of taking care of the kids on his own, suddenly getting a six-year old to school on time with a toddler in tow, put it into another category (at least in my mind). I wondered, is this my issue of control or a representation of what is expected of women in the new millennium?
It got me thinking further about this (sometimes lofty) concept of work life balance. One woman’s norm is another’s nightmare! Regardless, what really matters is that a woman is happy – whatever she is doing – even if it is more of a juggling act than a balancing act at times.
So while we haven’t yet found the magic formula for achieving work life balance (very un-21st century), it doesn’t really matter. As long as extraordinary women like Jane blaze new trails, and organisations like Soroptimist International support women, we’ll be ok.