Arrrgh!!!

Today I was marveling at how diverse the women in my family are.

Sister #1 raised five children, drove a school bus, and then became a darned fine nurse. She specialized in geriatrics and came to be very knowledgeable about wound management. Now that she has retired, she has a business making clothing for craft fairs.

Sister #2 became a jeweler, and had her own store. Then she became the Director of Christian Education for a large church.

I'm the third, and I spent what feels like a huge part of my life in school and then teaching for 11 years. Now, I'm the office for my husband's company, and I care for our mother.

Sister #4 had a career in the Navy and then resigned to raise her family. She went back for additional classes and now teaches English to kids at risk, and may soon become a principal.

I was thinking how diverse we are, how wide spread our interests are, when I realized that each of us chose to work at some point in our lives in a service field. Teaching, nursing, Christian education, the ties that bind us are closer than I realized. Each of us have chosen a field that has an impact on the quality of life around us. I doubt you would be surprised to find that there is a good deal of volunteerism in our lives, too.

So.... maybe we are not as diverse as I thought. Sister #1 driving in stock car races, and winning, was different. And #4 has been involved with historical reinactments for the 1750 era. Things like that bring a zest to life, but they don't change the underlying concern for people.

The next generation has engineers, biologists, managers, international buyers, and business owners. The opportunities have changed for these young women, and they have branched out. In their generation we have the best of both worlds, diversity combined with interest in family.

The best thing about all this is that there is nothing keeping the four of us from trying new things all the time. We may join the next generation in diversity, yet!