It was 95 degrees as I approached the field ready to referee girl’s lacrosse for the first time without shadowing my instructor. The heat dome over the northeast was firmly in place and the sun was baking people like humans do blueberry muffins for brunch. Never someone to complain about the weather and dressed in all black from head to toe, I was ready for this attempt at something new.
Suddenly, I was amidst rosy-cheeked seven- and eight-year-old girls with their eye gear, game shirts, and pink lacrosse sticks all rearing to play. Their parents made mention of the hot conditions, but not the girls. They were too excited to be around friends and play the game.
Even though I didn’t look like the girls playing, I was as new to the game and my role as they were. Girl’s lacrosse has more rules than boy’s lacrosse, which I didn’t know until I signed up to referee the girls to demonstrate that women could referee and support the women’s game. So there I was not getting my whistles and hand motions correct at 59-years-old feeling like a 7-year-old learning to ride a bike for the first time.
After one goal, I went up to the goalie who looked at me sadly as she handed me the ball and said, “I’m not good at this,” her brown eyes staring up at me. I responded, “I’m not very good at whistling either.” She smiled slightly, and then I said, “Stick with it, you are doing great. Keep trying!” After that, she stopped more goals, and every time I got the ball from her, I told her how awesome she was, getting bigger grins from her every time.
All of my readers are grown women, perhaps distant from their girlie spirit, but we can relate to the little goalie. We often say to ourselves, “I’m not very good at this, maybe I’ll give up.” And maybe, like that little girl, all we need is another woman to say to us, “I’m not good at everything either, let’s keep working and supporting each other,” smiling at each other and knowing how they feel.
Today’s Wednesday Wisdom is to remind you that girls who have grown up to be women still have trepidation in new areas of their lives, and female business owners face the same anxiety every time they branch out, produce new services, take financial risks, change direction, or have to deal with technologies. Inside all of us grown girls lies the heart, spirit, and need for others to support us with a word of hope, belief, or confidence. Don’t forget that the next time you see someone who could use your words or support.
I left the lacrosse field soaked three hours later and joyful after acknowledging my limitations to my fellow referees as they told me to keep up my efforts. I realized they did the same thing for me, as I did for the goalie. Human praise and acknowledgment cut through any dampening thoughts. Bring light to others and you’ll receive it yourself.
Women TIES 