Role Models: Living Possibilities

Today, back in the retreat of my home, I find myself looking up my role models, people I can relate to, respect, and hopefully, emulate their successful lives. We are all drawn to those similar to ourselves for comfort. Role models give us hope, especially the famous ones because they are not considered freaks. To me, they are the living possibilities of my dreams.

One of my role models is Harriet Chalmers Adams, the pioneering female explorer-photographer who “before her death in Nice, France, in 1937, had retraced the trail of Columbus, crossed Haiti on horseback, and, according to the New York Times, “reached twenty frontiers previously unknown to white women.”” To me, she exemplifies the fact that life, dreams, and passion are timeless, and that they also surpass the imaginary limitations of gender and age.

My contemporary role model is Jodi Cobb, the only woman staff photographer at the National Geographic Society. She makes my quest very real to me when she says, "You can have a life in the field, or you can have a life at home. But it’s hard to have both." In an on-line feature of Woman Photographers at National Geographic, the author describes the sacrifices as follows, "There is always a price to pay for what you take in life—an emotional balance sheet. This, then, is the price of choosing to be both a photographer in the field and a spouse, mother, sister, friend at home. Marriages that will not hold. Friendships that decay. Children who grow up without you." Indeed, Jodi has made these sacrifices in her own life, but look at some of the things she has brought into our world:
- Saudi Arabia: The Women Behind the Veil
- 12st-Century Slaves
- The Enigma of Beauty

Both of these women teach me about the possibilities and limitations to what I can do, while their success gives me the spirit to try and do everything!

Comments

[Mindy]

One of the wisest things a friend ever said to me was (and this will make you wonder about my depth of spirit to learn that this is the pinnacle of friendly advice): "You basically have three life arenas to master on an ongoing basis: work, family and friends. Once you accept that it's only possible to have two out of three running at an optimum level at any given time, you can more profitably devote your energy to decide which two that will be." I admire your spunk and courage. You go.