Today is International Women's Day and I would like to send a huge virtual hug to all of you, my dear YLF friends, who make this community so unique and best of its kind.

Let's celebrate the day by sharing the stories of three (or more, or less, as you feel) women that have lasting impact on your lives. I'll start.

My mum
Quite obviously, by being the first role model I've ever had. She broke the mould in many ways compared to many women around her and had taught me the most valuable lessons: be independent, don't tolerate anyone disrespecting you and the most important one - the sun *always* shines after the rainy day. She was very generous woman, elegant too and an instantly likeable character, vibrant and fun. People loved her and remembered her. I'll never forget the moment when, 11 years after she had passed away, I had walked out of the hotel just after booking my wedding reception and have bumped at her oncologist who then took a mere second after seeing me to say "You are Mrs. M's daughter!"

My first teacher
Imagine the good "old school" type: everything from manners to dignity to the respect she showed for her profession, other teachers and her pupils too, to the exquisite handwriting that is nowadays seen in calligraphy books only. Her sense of reaching every child in her classroom was obvious even though it took me years to actually define to myself that gift she had and understand that not everyone actually has it. She gave me confidence in those early years of education by recognising some talents which to this day I consider some of my defining characteristics. Every time I take my fountain pen to write, which looks very much like the one she had and used to write our school reports with, I think of her. She still inspires me to write - both as the way of expressing myself or simply as tracing ink on the paper and watching it dry – a calm, soothing activity and a skill that is disappearing in the era of keyboards and typing.
A few months ago I have managed to trace her down and phoned her - she could hardly believe that it was me (of course she remembered me personally, she said "I can still recognise every one of my pupils when I look at their eyes"), but all the little things I actually remembered from 30 years ago. I think for people of her age and who did her job, it is so important to know they affected us so much.

The lady from the toddler playgroup
Everyone says she is "mothering the mothers". This lady runs the toddler group at one of the local schools where I used to take my son when he was little, but her job really is to help mums be better mums. Everyone I know feels such powerful attraction to her - there is an air of wisdom, peace and motherly comfort around that quiet and strong woman which really serves as the best inspiration for being true to ourselves and then being everything else, mothers, wives, partners, friends. I do feel like a little child around her and like the feeling of "growing up" every time we talk (I still see her sometimes). I used to talk a lot to her in those early days and she helped me shape up how I want to be as mother and I also felt the relationship with her was filling some gaps in my life left after my own mum passed away. I was extremely happy when she commented on some occasions that certain things I have said helped her understand her daughter better. To give back to someone whom we feels gives us so much is a gift in itself.

Over to you. Which women inspire(d) you?