Women Who Have Inspired Me

I need to pay homage to the women that have inspired me:

Queen Hatshepsut, who as a very young woman assumed command of the army to save her country, and made Egypt strong and great.

Eleanor of Aquitaine, who defied a King and the Pope, had the nerve to love whom she chose, in the manner she saw fit, and not be cowed by men.

Ann Boleyn who understood the hazard of love when combined with power, but did it anyway. I visited your cell in the Tower, and felt your presense;

Elizabeth Tudor,her brilliant daughter, who survived a terrible childhood, but used that pain to become a strong yet compassionate ruler who was England's greatest Monarch

Marie Antoinette, who had to know from the moment she entered France, that she was a sacrifice, and her life would not end well.

Mae West, for teaching me what risqué meant, and double entendres;

Marilyn Monroe, who taught me about the vulnerable side of sexuality, what it meant to be “her”

Elizabeth Taylor, where I learned that a woman can have a career and still have time, love and passion for her children. As a child I adored that she always took her children with her where ever she was shooting a film, no matter the cost or inconvenience to others. Also, that it was okay to love jewelry, and that it couldn't be too much.

Joan Rivers, who taught me to be myself, and damn the consequences;

Golda Maier who taught me not to be afraid to ask for what I needed. I loved that she always brought her string shopping bag, whenever she visited the President.

Yoko Ono who taught me to hold my head up with dignity in the face of scorn and ridicule. I met her briefly at a show of John Lennon's artwork in New Orleans. You smiled at my tears at your husband's art, even while there were people there hissing unkind words about you within earshot.

ZaZa Gabor, who taught me that glamor and style come from within, and not to take beauty contests seriously (I had recently been in one and had gotten eliminated early). I met her at a grocery store in Long Beach, decades ago. She was wearing her Miss Universe crown. She told me she had “seven of dese damn things, and that they were just the thing to put your hair up with when doing housework”. I fell for her when she was ctitisized for wearing one of her beauty crowns made of crystal, when she was presented to European royalty, but wearing diamonds around her neck. She was the only one in the room that didn't look dour, dowdy and frumpy.”It's all costume jewelry dahlink; how expensive is your costume?”

Queen Noor, what incredible grace and compassion;

Mother Theresa, who questioned her own faith;

Susan McDougal, who went to jail rather than lie;

Hillary Clinton, for not baking cookies, for hanging tough when her health care initiative was ripped to shreds

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the best and greatest Speaker of the House ever. How she can manage to keep a civil tongue in her head and not rip the opposition a new one, is totally beyond me

Jan Shakowsky, another great example of why women should rule!

Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward, Operation Odyssey Dawn Joint Force Air Component Commander

And my mother in law, for loving me as her own.