Being Seen

The struggle to be seen. Not just for our outward appearences but for the person we are inside. We all want to be seen, be apreciated/ recognized for our work, our contributions. To be treated as an equal. For most of us, this holds true. For some it feels like a long train ride to a destination that never seems to come. A destination that is always just around the bend. A train that many women ride. A train that is driven by men, to a destination run by men. The ride is so long, that sometimes self doubt can start to set in. Trish, Sera, Sadie, and Maddie, are at different stages of the journey.

Trish was content in being a wife to a professional athelet. That was her plan since dating Brad. She put her stock in another person. When that fell apart, she was left with amost nothing except for her beauty. Something that she took pride in, that she worked hard at. That was her part. To be a beautiful wife living in an extravagant life. Trish went back to school when she realized that she is the only one responsible for her life.

Sera arrived at her destination and found the struggle reamins at the top. Always second guessed, always having to explain herself while other were taken at their word. Being the smartest person in the building, in the country, wasn't enough but it helped. It wasn't like she took pleasure in having to mansplain her work, her ideas, to her co-workers that always second guessed her. Ok she did. Especially to her boss that she eventually replaced. But no matter how high you climb the ladder, there is always someone one rung higher than you.

Maddie is the golden soul of compassion. She knows who she is and is uninterested in what others think of her. Her strong willed commitment to her beliefs had labeled her as sweet but hard to work with because she refuses to lower her values and standards. Although she is the founder of her non-profit animal rescue, her kindess is always misunderstood for weakness. A woman with a nurturing heart is always fighting to have her business ran her way. Always fighting to have the board listen to her opinions.

Sadie didn't get her nickname as the rebel for nothing. Her love for motorcycles has her working in a field dominated with men. Not just any kind of men, bikers that look at women as their "old lady". As we know, Sadie is more than capable of handling her business, and fearlessly. That doesn't mean it's easy on her. There are pros and cons to becoming immune to critism and having a wall placed around your feelings. As Maddie once pointed out, Sadie is a cork about to pop.

When a person in charge is stern or a hardass, the difference between being a leader and a ball buster... well I'm sure you know what the difference is. This is only from my point of view of course. I've been around long enough to see enough to know, women just want to be seen, not just looked at.