In anticipation of having a baby girl, I started to do some work on myself. I come from a long line of strong, somewhat outspoken, emotionally unavailable women. I didn’t want to replicate this model of mothering, so someone suggested I find three women who possess characteristics or qualities I wished I’d encountered in a maternal figure. Mary Pat was one of the three women I picked. Our relationship was relatively new and yet mutually fulfilling, so she seemed like a natural choice.
A successful and powerful female executive, she has a profoundly centered, gentle, and present demeanor. She is exceptionally supportive and never domineering while also engaging and always ready to challenge my thinking. As our friendship deepened, she became one of my daughter’s godmothers. But she’s also been a source of calm, heartfelt connection, sage wisdom, and reassurance to me during difficult times. She’s the person I turn to when I need to make big decisions. Not only am I blessed by the relationship, I’m reminded of the power behind doing our own work and being intentional about the relationships we cultivate. This relationship also reminds me of the impact one individual can have and about the deep value of legacy relationships.