Connections ensure we stay a little bit awesome

What a pleasure it was to write about and celebrate Midweek turning 30 last week. The anniversary edition sure brought back a lot of memories, and how wonderful to see photos of Mike and Joan street looking so glorious way back then [as they still do now], and to read tributes from former contributors and editors, including folk like my friend Kate Spencer. People and papers like this give us so many opportunities to celebrate ourselves and our successes. Special thanks to current editor in chief Paul Brooks for his dynamic style of journalism, and for his endless enthusiasm in producing great stories about ordinary folk doing extraordinary things.
In the last few weeks I have enjoyed the opportunity to begin regularly getting together with some of my columnist friends. It's always invigorating to hear their views on things, what they plan to write about, and whether their columns shape themselves or are more purposefully constructed. Some weeks I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to write about, and there have been times when I have sat down at my keyboard with a cup of tea and a rather large dose of writer's block. Other times the words take on a life of their own once my fingertips hit the keyboard. It is refreshing to know that my writer friends often experience this too. Writing in the public eye adds its own level of scrutiny, meaning that folk will either love what you have to say, or disagree wholeheartedly ... Both of which are better than complete indifference. And, on the odd occasion, for whatever reason, a column just doesn't want to be heard. A few months back I wrote a rather hard-hitting piece about feminism, and no matter how many times I emailed it, and in varying formats, it just never made its way to the other side via cyberspace. Paul and I tried for several weeks, and despite many valiant efforts with emails back and forth, the column just kept disappearing.
Whether your hobby is writing, or sports, craft or pottering in the garden shed, it always seems better when you have like-minded folk to share it with. There is something incredibly comforting and liberating in finding friends who share common interests. When I turned 40 a couple of years ago it enabled me to take stock of my life in ways that I hadn't felt I could before. Consciously cultivating a circle of 40-something women friends who aren't afraid to laugh at themselves - and with each other - has been an absolute delight. There is a different kind of confidence that develops with age, and less concern with what other folk may think of us and the choices we have made. And although we may still get caught out with this on occasion, it's our friends who remind us that we're capable, and with any luck, even a little bit awesome. Social connection keeps us vital, and is such an important part of what it means to be human. There are many ways to be connected in this ever-changing world of ours, and the first step always begins with us having the courage to reach out and try something new. Our community is filled with such richness, with many opportunities to get involved in all sorts of activities, maybe even some shenanigans. Here's to that!
Feel free to drop me a line: Womnet.wang@callplus.net.nz