Strength doesn’t lie in numbers,
Strength doesn’t lie in wealth,
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumber….
So sings Maria from the Sound of Music, but I am not sure I agree with her. I am sure sleep helps, but a lot of women I know through Wise Women get their strength from a deep inner reserve, often when the chance for peaceful sleep is a just a dream. Sometimes dormant, forced by necessity, nurtured by kindness, strength for these women is not something loud and obvious; it is subtle and supple and quietly powerful. (Okay, so is sleep, so Maria has a point there…)
Take Darieth Chisolm of Jefferson Hills (yes, she of WPXI Channel 11 fame). Her new fitness studio in Brentwood specializes in core body strength but her true strength in making the venture happen came from the subtle strength of letting go and trusting. Who knew you could get inspired to hang from the ceiling – literally - by staring at a spiral banister. There is way more to Chisolm than you see in her nightly box. Read the story
Celia Baker (a real South Hills woman, but not a real name) did not feel strong when as a teenager she was trapped in an abusive situation from which she could see no escape. Yet deep inside Celia had a reserve of resilience that allowed her to survive, get out, and hold on to her soul. What did she learn? That strength comes internally, but also from the kindness of strangers. The small things we do and say matter more than you think. Read the story
Barb Moore of Mt Lebanon had the need for strength thrust upon her by her father’s premature death; her mother, seven young siblings and a family business relied on her fortitude to pull through. A soft spoken young woman in a man’s world, she had to rely on smart strength to succeed. But she also worked hard to balance for all women some of the inequality she saw around her. Read the story
Sleep aside, maybe strength really comes from learning to trust yourself.
Read about more strong, inspiring local women in Wise Women, the e-journal for and about dynamic women of the South Hills. Sign up free for Wise Women: Click here.
