Tuesday 8th March formally marks International Women’s Day 2022 but, for many, the whole month is an opportunity to celebrate the worth and diversity of women around the world. It also provides a platform from which everyone can challenge the suppression and abuse of all women. Last year, I marked the occasion by exploring the women of the Bow Street Society. This year, I wanted to share with you the women who have inspired me throughout my life.
MY MUM
She gave me love, support, and a safe and comfortable home whilst I was growing up. She’d tell me I’d always have her support regardless of my religious beliefs, sexual orientation, career choices, etc. I clearly remember her sitting me down one day and asking me if being a writer was something I had my heart set upon. When I told her it was, she said it wouldn’t be an easy career to achieve and asked me again if I still wanted to pursue it. I replied that I did and she told me she’d support me however she could to achieve my dreams. More recently, she has had to battle poor health for over a decade and even caught Covid. Yet, not only has survived all this, she has done so with incredible resilience and determination to live the best life she can. Every day she reminds me of what is possible when one truly puts one’s mind to it and, because of that, she is the woman who has, does, and will inspire me the most.
R.W. & A.E.
I don’t want to embarrass them by using their full names but I’m certain they’ll know who they are when they read this. I met R.W. and A.E. at university and we’ve remained great friends ever since in spite living many miles apart.
R.W. inspires me because she has had to completely retrain and start a whole new career that she is now highly successful in. A dream she’d been pursuing for quite some time didn’t come to pass but, rather than wallow in self-pity, she reassessed what she wanted to do with her life and chose the career she does today. She alone—with her hard work, determination, and self-belief—has gotten her to where she is today.
A.E. inspires me because she did something that would absolutely terrify me: she moved to a foreign country without knowing anyone or even the language. Not only did she get there, she adjusted swiftly and thrived. Even today, the thought of doing something like this on my own makes my stomach churn. Therefore, I have nothing but respect and admiration for my friend.
Both R.W. and A.E. are ambitious and strong—stronger, maybe, than even they realise. The way they face life and its struggles head on, no matter how hard things may get, inspires me to do the same. We three also know we can rely on each other’s support whenever we need it, and that makes me feel truly blessed to call them my friends.
Honorary mentions: My Nana, my sisters B.C and K.T, and Agatha Christie
~ T.G. Campbell, March 2022
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S MONTH:
The Women Who Inspire Me