1. Introduction
I
won a gold medal in shot-put at the 2008 Maryland State Senior Olympics and
qualified to participate in the National Senior Olympics held on the Stanford
campus in summer 2009. My success at throwing a shot-put, something I’d never
done as a youth, was based on attention to physical details required to propel
a heavy metal ball as far as possible. It required mental concentration,
practice, and a commitment to training for over a year. All of these
requirements are needed for anyone to be a success in life, whether personally
or professionally. Over the next 5 years, I wracked up a real, honest to
goodness “track record” competing in local and state track and field meets in
the shot-put, discus, 100 m dash events, and football throw, an event sponsored
by the DC Senior Olympics. I earned Gold and Silver Medals in each event, not
always because I excelled necessarily, but because I showed up early on a
Sunday morning, while other women of my age class slept in.
Today,
as I write the story of my life, I’m sitting at a desk in the corner of my
renovated bedroom in Mariposa, California, in what will be my final office
space. I look out on the California foothills, the Guadalupe Mountains in the
distance, quail and acorn woodpeckers flying between towering blue and valley
oaks. I’m now largely restricted to mental exercises, as my body slowly shuts
its voluntary muscles down owing to the silent ravages of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s
disease). In the last year, as I embark on this new journey, it seemed the
right time to write about the remarkable life I’ve lived through an era that
has seen the rise of women as respected scientists and the start of a new field
in earth science---biogeochemistry.
A
person’s personal life has its own voyage, not necessarily mirrored by one’s
career. In my case, I can’t separate the two. Experiences in both spheres have
shaped me as a person. Is
it possible to be a 1st class scientist, mother and wife at the same
time? Lynn Margulis, a noted evolutionary biologist, once said this is
impossible. I am not sure what 1st class really means in either
context, but I think it’s possible for women to achieve success as scientists,
wives, and mothers at the same time. Learning to live with small imperfections
is key. Finishing what you start is critical. Laughing at yourself is
necessary. Taking a stand and doing what is “right” can help you sleep at night
when unfinished business, housework, and relationships internally nag at 3:00
in the morning. Keeping an eye on the long run, not short term setbacks. I believe I succeeded at all three; what
I’ve done has been good enough, and just recently has been judged by others to
be 1st class. That’s not as important, however, as how I judge
myself. To be comfortable in your own skin, to know what makes you happy, and
to allow yourself to be what you want to be is as important to me as “1st
class”. Rewards come at odd times. My children talk about cool adventures, my
husband and I continue to enjoy life ALS not withstanding, and I’ve had a whale
of a good time with colleagues young and old.
Excellent statements which should serve as advice to others (in my opinion). I've watched the last 40+ years deliver a wonderful expansion in science, and we can only hope that the expansion of women in science increases! An older colleague recently told me that his goal was to achieve "50% women in the faculty". I thought, why not 60% Why not 90%? Let's let ability speak for a change! Can such a career coexist with family? Well it should, and young people selecting partners (regardless of their gender) better be asking these potential, life-long companions about all the tasks you mention in other parts of your blog.
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