Lunch anyone?

Yesterday I went to a birthday luncheon.

And when I say luncheon, I mean a beautiful, summer-breezy afternoon with a white tent set up in a manicured backyard with champagne, shrimp salad served on thick-cut sourdough bread and a lovely green salad with raspberry vinegrette dressing.

I mean approximately 35 women 40ish years old, mostly dressed in what you might picture in the above scene. 

All of us coming together for a close friends 40th birthday.

Varied women of varied lifestyles, but all meaningful to this friend.  I'd venture to say we would be considered "educated" (whatever that actually means I'm not sure.)  My friend, being the hostess she is truly in her heart, placed us at the table--handwritten name cards--along with two question:

How did we meet her?

Share what we love to do...

First question goes off well for each other.  Icebreaking working.

Second question leads me to this moment...

Other than one other woman at my table, she and I were the ones who could say what we love to do that didn't involve our families.  The other women could only comment about not having time for themselves, their husbands, their lives...and what I realized--they still don't know who they are.

I was a bit "taken back"...I felt sorry at a certain level that they don't know or maybe haven't thought about it lately.  And I wondered at what point these women will or maybe be able to say...

I felt lucky I know who I've always been.  Even when I've forgotten--I've known.  And for my girls, I am glad they are discovering themselves and know who they are inside--so when they are lunching momma's--they're guitar-pickn, drawing, running-around sides, will always show.