Who Are You Grateful For on International Women’s Day?

If Your Mom is Still Around, and She Was Around, Thank Her.

When you read about all these beautiful women who have jumped out on the front lines and have made huge strides chances are there is a strong mom who raised her to know the sky is the limit.

I Am a Strong Believer That International Women's Day Should Be a Day to Celebrate Our Mothers. (Both Biological and the Ones Who Have Stepped in For Us.)

Fearless women would not exist if it wasn't for strong women that paved the way and knew other girls were watching every single step of the way. Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Margret Thatcher, Marie Curie, Mildred Loving, Oprah, and so many more had strong women before them.

For Me, International Women's Day is a Day to Reach Out and Thank the Fearless Women in Our Lives.

One particular woman always comes to mind on International Women's Day. You won't read about her on Wikipedia, or see her name in the news, but she made a difference in my little hometown.

I Have Promised Myself That I Will Always Find a Way to Talk or Write About My Mother.

I am scared that one day I may not recall all the little things about her. One thing that I won't ever forget is the number of people at her funeral. My mother passed away when I was 13 and I remember feeling overwhelmed with how many people showed up to celebrate her life.

Maya Angelou was right “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”. My mother always made sure to bring joy to some of the darkest rooms. She may have been a pastor's wife, but her ministry of loving on people was all her own, and I know she made a huge difference in her community. If I can be half the woman my mother was, I think I'll do just fine in life. My mother lived to empower other people. That makes her a woman to be celebrated on International Women's Day.

There is Another Woman I Need to Celebrate and Shine a Light On.

People in her community know her as the lady who takes professional photos of dogs at shelters and rescue centers, but I know her as Glammy. She believes humans can learn from animals and she believes that humans are only as good as they are kind. She has no problem using her outside voice to show up for the little guy and she always has her door open for the hard conversations, those conversations that have challenged me and forced me to grow as a human.

Ladies, who empowers you? Is there a woman in your life that you can't imagine life without? A sister? Friend? Mother? Aunt? Tell us about her in the comments below.