We moved into our first house, just 9 months after Thor was born. Patricia was one of the first neighbors I met. She was friendly, she was upbeat, and she was helping take care of her sister, who was battling cancer, along with sharing in the care of her young nephew.
Since I am a social werewolf (I’m a hermit most of the month, but once in a full moon I become SOCIAL LANE), I didn’t get to know many neighbors that well, but Patricia and I would wave and have short conversations about the boys in our lives–Thor and her nephew, whose care she has continued since losing her sister. I think you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat children, and you can tell a lot about caregivers by how their children treat everyone else. I want you to know how amazing Patricia’s nephew is, so that you’ll understand the love and security she has built into his world, so that you’ll understand the kind of heart this woman has.
I’ve gotten to know Patricia much better since she introduced me to the Grown Ass Woman Brigade (GAWB), and through Facebook*. Because of how much I respect and trust her, I couldn’t think of anyone better to represent the Women Worth Knowing Project.
It is with great pleasure that I ask you to meet Patricia.
Name: Patricia Williams
Age: 56
Job Title: Owner, KDW Consulting (specialize in training development)
- Who are you? A business woman, the guardian of an amazing 14 yr old boy and a little crazy.
- What do you love most about your life? I love the fact that at my age I still don’t know what I’m going to do when I grow up.
- What do you love most about your work? I love recreating a boring corporate training class into something interesting and engaging.
- Describe your family: Loving and fun. My nephew and I are an unbeatable team. Living the best life we can in honor of his mom (my little sister).
- What does the first hour of your day look like? It would make an excellent sitcom.
- The last hour? See above.
- What makes you feel successful? How I’m perceived within the training industry.
- What brings you joy? The smile on my nephew’s face.
- Which women do you most admire? Margaret Thatcher, Queen Elizabeth (do you see a trend her, I like British women)
- What do you like best about your closest friend? Her ability to speak her mind and her ability to make others around her smile.
- What do you like best about yourself? How I’ve handled taking over parenting a child at the age of 50 and enjoying it. I never had children of my own and had no idea what I was doing. Still don’t.
- What advice would you give to boys about girls? Treat a girl like a lady.
- What is the best advice anyone has ever given you? Don’t be afraid of the word no, there is a yes around the corner. Just keep asking!
- How do you overcome adversity? With a glass of wine and a smile!
- How do you want to be remembered? Someone who lived and learned. Had a good heart, a great sense of humor and good sense of direction. Seriously, I hardly ever get lost!
So, I am going to get to see Patricia tonight–the night of this writing, not the night you are reading–and you should be very, very happy for me. I was going to say envious, but Patricia is one of those women who will make you believe that there is no reason to be jealous of anything because you are fully capable of having anything you want, so it didn’t seem quite right.
*Not only am I a social werewolf, I am also an internet Cyrano de Bergerac–I can talk real pretty when ain’t nobody looking me in the face, so I LOVE interacting through Facebook.
The Outside Lane 