Gratitude: The Magnificent Seven

November is the month of being thankful and today I am linking up with the ladies of The Blended Blog to talk about what we are grateful for. Of course I am grateful for my family, a man I waited my whole life for who is unbelievably kind to me, for the child I never thought I would have, my girlfriends and a school community that truly loves my child. I had a revelation on Election Day, and the days leading up to it, that I am unbelievably grateful for a group of women in what we call "Lunch Without An Agenda."

For many years, let's say for at least 6 and probably more, I have gotten together with a group of seven ladies in my industry for lunch probably about every other month. We don't have a set schedule, someone will just get the itch to get together and throw out an email for "Lunch Without An Agenda" and we will all look at what dates work for us. I honestly don't know who came up with the name, I know it wasn't me, and it is just the perfect hold for our calendars.

It is the same group of seven women, no one else is allowed in. We all basically have the same job but for different companies and trade associations and one of us now has her own consulting company. Not all of us are married, not all of us have kids, but if I must brag about this group, we are all pretty darn Good at what we do. I was talking to Running Daddy about our Election Day lunch that is a tradition and he referred to these ladies as "my tribe." You know what? He is totally right and I told them that at lunch on Election Day.

These ladies are my work go to's and they are totally my ride or die business wise. When one of us has a work question, it's who we email first. Our business can be tricky, there is a lot of pressure and there are lots of laws to comply with, but with this group, there is no dumb question. We share funny stories and a whole lot of "is this weird or is it just me?"

We cheer each other on, and mean it. I am not sure who said it last week, but someone said that none of us are competitive with each other. We mentor each other and totally have each others back--big time. Our industry and this town can be so high school like and there is none of that in this group.

I went through a hard season work-wise over the last year and these ladies were totally there for me. Supporting me in our group lunches, meeting up with me one on one, letting me know things I needed to hear, and celebrating with me when I landed a new job. 

I don't believe that anyone has to help me with anything but honestly, I have really been disappointed by a lot of people especially over the last year. Those disappointments opened my eyes to who some people really are, and I see then for who they really are, their motivations and shortcomings.  That is why, when Running Daddy called my lunch ladies my tribe, he was so spot on. 

KK, KV, LT, SM, SS, and KP--I am so very grateful to have you in my life. I am so proud of each and every one of you. Running Daddy may call them my tribe, our calendar holds may say "Lunch Without An Agenda" but it donned on me this weekend--we are more like the Magnificent Seven. Whatever we are calling it, I am blessed to call you my friends and colleagues. You build me up, you make me proud, you bring me Joy.