I've been reading this book Abundance: The Future Is Better Than You Think by Peter Diamandis and it's giving me so much hope for our future.  One of the best things I've found on there is a reference to this Ted talk - The Best Stats You've Ever Seen.  So the book is incredibly detailed on all the innovation that has taken place and is taking place that has made our lives better, easier, more productive, healthier...etc.  It talks about how helping other people move out of poverty and into a prosperous and educated life, helps all of us.  It talks about over population and that probably the most important solution to this and the lack of education (which has a direct correlation with big families and poverty) is the education of women.  Diamandis quotes John Oldfield, who was managing director of WASH Advocacy Initiative, who says that the best thing for the problem of over population is through "increasing child survival, educating girls, and making knowledge and availability of birth control ubiquitous." (p. 42)  I was so struck when I read this.  I am in complete awe over and over again at the role women play in this world.  We are so good at what we do.  We know how to take care of others, grow our children, manage our households, multitask at our jobs, lead in our respective roles in our own unique way.  I'm not trying to take away anything from the talents of men, but I do want to focus on the talents of women, because I think we overlook our talents in so many ways.  One of the stupidest ways we do this, is women on women.  I went to a conference where the keynote speaker Walter Bond made a funny reference to a scenario where we women look at another woman and say to ourselves or to those around us "who does she think she is?".  It was funny, but oh so sad.  Sad because it's true.  We women are so afraid of another woman if we think she shines brighter, is prettier, is more successful...on and on ad nauseam, while men don't do this shit!  Ugh.  It makes me so disgusted.  Men don't go around dissing other guys because of how they look or what they say or how they feel they measure up to them.  Yes, granted guys like a good gossip story, but its entertainment to them, not fuel for bitterness, insecurity or resentment.  I just don't understand why it so ingrained in us women.  I think that we can have our gossip sessions but still support and root for other women.  We should try to take things as they are and understand that that other woman has her own problems, pains, anxieties...but more than that, she has her own strengths, beauty, talents, wisdom, experiences....etc.

I challenge all of us today that if we think negative thoughts or want to put another woman down today that we stop and realize that she's a woman just like us and maybe love her a little, care for her a little,  respect her a little...be grateful for her existence in this world.  Without her we would lose what unique perspective she has to offer and we might all be worse off without it.