Jan
Phillips
Cathy
Conheim, L.C.W.S.
Christine
Forester
•
Christine Forester •
I
am a lover
—
a lover who learned how to fight.
I
never had to fight my parents, wondering at times if I missed something—or
passed on some wonderful neuroses, having to acknowledge mine with
no one to blame. Thank you Charles and Renée Meynet.
I
never had to fight my siblings — although at times, as a kid, I
sure tried. Thank you Claude and Roland, and thank you, Alain —sitting
on your cloud, I presume, looking at us, still cracking a joke with
your inimitable wit.
I
fought as a student, deciding to become an architect in spite of
countless road blocks. I crossed the finish-line. I won.
I
fought as an architect, establishing myself in a profession dominated
by men. I won.
I
fought as a person, electing to move away from the cocoon of a loving
family to embrace another country, another culture, another language.
I made them mine. I won.
I
fought as a mother, relinquishing my rights when giving my son up
for adoption. I lost twenty-eight precious years of nurturing and
love—as well as anguish and aggravations. I won when Bill returned,
twenty-eight years later, bright, loving, caring, giving, a testimonial
to his parents who gave him what I didn’t have to give. Thank you
Bill. Thank you Ron and Bev Attinger.
I
never had to fight as a wife, sharing a thirty-two year partnership
based on love, trust, respect, shared goals and laughter. Thank
you Russell.
I
fought as a stepmother, striving to embrace, to understand, to accept.
I won in so many ways—each one precious to me—I can’t count. I am
a winner. Thank you Lynn.
A
clique of longtime loyal friends form the backbone of my support
system. All these years, never a fight. I cherish your loyal friendship
more than words can express.
When
I made the decision to expand my horizons beyond architecture, I
fought business conventions and ready-made labels. Applying analytical
skills in uncharted venues, selling my way of addressing challenges,
resolving problems and finding effective business and marketing
solutions, I became a "Catalyst." Giving my all, never
feeling that it is enough, and always striving for "more better,"
I gained an enviable, loyal clientele. Thank you, each one of you,
for your trust. You make me a winner.
Lastly,
I fought my two project partners about the book structure and its
symbolic cover. We all won. We won through the understanding and
respect we developed for our differences and our similarities:
Jan,
loving and caring, felt the public joys and the private pains of
each individual in the circle of women. The sensitive photojournalist
she is saw the book as a documentary on a common cry for help.
Cathy,
dedicated mental health care practitioner—a practical practitioner—approached
the circle of women clinically, caringly. Addressing the issue logically,
she was a crucial pivot between the unit and the whole.
I
am a fighter
—
a fighter who knows how to love.
I
wanted to use the women’s pain to shout the urgency of the issue.
I didn’t want to soothe; I wanted to lay the wound wide open for
everyone to see and, through its disquieting, haunting message,
question our passive submission to indoctrinations that preclude
us from retaining and celebrating our individuality, in all forms
and shapes.
We
fought until we recognized that we were a microcosm of the women
we honor in these pages. We became a tripod, our bearings in different
backgrounds and cultures, reaching for a common goal.
I
won.
I won
two friends.
Thank
you Cathy and Jan.
•
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