The Year of Moms Who Change The World

As we know, the Dalai Lama believes that the world will be saved by the Western Woman, and I have to tell you, so do I. I've come across some of the most talented and ambitious and resourceful women as I've started working in this field of mom-preneurs.

So, while this year comes to a close and I look ahead to the new year, I've been making plans and working to push myself forward with new goals, new ambitions and renewed faith in myself. I have a lot I want to accomplish, a lot I want to read, weight to lose, rooms to organize, work to focus on, things to learn and financial goals I certainly plan on meeting.

As I was writing out my goals last night, my father, who's visiting from LA, handed me an article that he had clipped out of the New York Times and packed in his suitcase for me. He gave it to me and mentioned something about "an inspiring story about a mom. I thought you would like it for Better Way." I said, "Thanks for thinking of me" and left the article by my computer. I didn't really think much of it.

I forgot about it until this morning as I picked it up while I ate my cereal and prepared for my day. My cereal is now soggy and left uneaten in the bowl. This is probably a good thing as I think a few of my tears may have dropped into the bowl as I read.

Now, I will admit that I'm someone who is always moved by the human spirit, so you may not be moved to tears as I was. But I dare you not to be inspired: Triumph Of A Dreamer

You all know how I feel about our privileged lives. We have everything we need, we have opportunity and we, or let me say I, tend to complain about the mundane chores that seem to fill up my life. You know, like picking up q-tips on my way home from work or doing an extra load of laundry.

But the heroine in this article, Tererai, didn't have a shot. She probably would have been grateful to have a washing machine, and the thought of complaining about such a privilege wouldn’t have occurred to her. She had none of the opportunity that I take for granted on a daily basis. And she accomplished all of her "impossible" goals anyway.

Married off at the age of 11, and beaten regularly by her husband in a small village in Zimbabwe, she had no reason to write down her four goals of studying abroad, earning a B.A., a masters and a doctorate. Talk about some resolutions! Not only did she move half way around the world to America, but she realized all of her goals as she received her doctorate last month. I tear up every time I think of that. The woman who wrote down those four outrageous goals all those years ago made them a reality. She did it.

Suddenly, my goals of making sure I meditate every morning and that I clean out the garage don't feel so lofty.

What she wrote down as her goals would be like me saying that I want to take over a major magazine, grow it's readership during this recession and then sell it for an incredible profit — all in one year. Hmmm, maybe they're even bigger than that. Maybe it's more like taking over Microsoft or besting Oprah's ratings with my new TV show (you know, the one I don't have – yet).

I mean, this woman saw what she wanted. She was crystal clear about what she was up to in life. She heard someone tell her to break out and dream, so she did. The idea that she couldn't accomplish these things wasn't in her head as she wrote them down. Or if it was, she quickly brushed it aside.

Just think what would be possible if all of us did that.

One of the things that struck me the most about this story was how many times she could have quit. How many valid reasons she had to walk away and go back home and herd cattle and be beaten by her husband instead of moving forward with school. But she never did that. That alone is incredibly inspiring.

The other thing that really jumped out at me was how people were willing to bend over backwards to get her what she needed. People left food for her, people in her village sold their goats, others held fundraisers to keep her tuition on track when she fell behind.

I always say that when we really put our minds to something, we can accomplish anything. That's not just something I say; I mean it. I use that belief regularly in my own life, and I know it works. People, things, ideas and money will come out of the woodwork when we share our goals and ideas. Tererai was able to tap into this power of intention, even while facing such a void of apparent impossibility.

And as if all of this wasn't enough, I was also moved that she refused to leave her children behind. Bringing her children meant there were five more plane tickets to buy, five more mouths to feed while she was studying so hard, five more people to clothe, bathe, nurture and hug when they had nightmares or worries.

And now, because she fought so hard to have those five little ones with her, she has shown five more human beings that anything is possible. There are now five more people that can seek an education, imagine new companies, new ideas, and understand different cultures. Dream, believe and work — and the world is your oyster. She taught them that through example — the most powerful teaching tool we mothers have.

This article is going up on my fridge, and any time I think I can't do something, I'll turn to Tererai for inspiration and use her as a reminder that anything, truly anything, is possible. Anytime I think I'm not being the best mother I can be, I'll remember what Tererai taught her children and make sure I'm living the same example.

I wanted to share this story this morning, with two days left in this year, to remind us all to reach for the moon as we plan out this next year. There is no reason not to write down what we really want to accomplish, not just what we think sounds good or what we have written down in the past. And while weight loss and organizing are important to our physical and mental well-being, perhaps there is more we can reach for.

There are 75 million children who are not attending primary school around the world. I'm sure that one of us reading this article can figure out a way we can tackle that. We can address world hunger, we can make sure our neighborhoods recycle, that our local water is clean, get started on that new company we've been thinking about or finish the book we started that we know will bring moments of happiness to others.

Let's make this next year the year of moms who change the world.

Anytime we think we can't go after what we really want, we can all remember Tererai, who struggled through beatings, hunger, poverty and a clear lack of opportunity. She truly created something out of nothing. If she can do it, surely we can too. We owe it to our children, to ourselves and ultimately to the world.

After all, who are we to question the Dalai Lama?

Author: Sarah

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