A woman's courage

"I want to do it because I want to do it. Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail, their failure must be but a challenge to others." - Amelia Earhart.

It feels strange to be writing this. I suppose everytime you step into the unknown, into unchartered waters, it's natural to feel an apprehension. You might think, "What's the big deal? It's just a blog!" But to me, it's a move to bare my soul and connect to people (though I haven't told anyone about this blog, but who knows who might read it).

I don't really have an agenda but I'm just going to dive right in. So, allow me to start from the basic: my name is not Amelia Earhart. Earhart, as some of you might already know, is a great female pilot of the early 20th century. She was brave, never afraid to pursue her dreams and plunged herself into a male-dominated field, which pilot-ing still very much is today. Even though I don't have a particular inclination towards aviation, I truly admire everything that she embodies.

Earhart disappeared mysteriously during her first ambitious round-the-world trip. I reckon she expired along with her plane, which last reported technical difficulties. Despite a massive search-and-rescue party sent out for her, she was never found. Her sudden disappearance made her all the more of an enigma. I don't think she would have wanted to part from this world in any other way - not that being blown to bits paints a pretty picture but because she died doing what she loved.

Her aura of mystery projects a little of the mystery I'd like to keep about myself. I'm a fiercely private person but who knows, one day I might just find the courage to come out of the closet (figuratively speaking).

How did I come to know about Earhart? I was thinking of a blog name for myself and decided to pick a name I've always loved: Amelia. When I google-d the name, I discovered Earhart and her story stirred me. Coincidentally, one of my favourite singers, Joni Mitchell, wrote the song Amelia for her (listen to it when you've time). Funny how things just fall into place.

That's not all. Recently, I chanced upon a group of women, who have succeeded in male-dominated fields. There were a budget airline CEO (wow!), a high court judge and a VP of a leading telecommunications company. They are truly amazing women, who managed to raise their family and at the same time, scaled the corporate ladder. I would like to get them to know better (and am taking steps to do so). They truly inspire me, like Earhart did, and maybe, I'll tell you more about them at a later time.

I guess I've arrived at the topic of my entry today: courage. Courage is what I need to take my career, my relationships and my life, as a whole, to another level. I'm still working on it. Please feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with me.

Thank you and God bless.