At this point in time it has been about a year since I added my co author Natalie Rowe Seier to Feminine Findings. I would like to talk about how this came to be and how much she means to me.
Natalie was first introduced to me through my son. I was instructed from the “get go” to how should I say this… keep my political commentary to myself as she had differing views than our family. If you know me or have been reading my blog you know I am pretty much an open book. But I definitely wanted to get to know Natalie and knew that alienating her out of the gate would hinder any potential relationship.
So, I pretty much stayed away from politics for the most part. She might disagree but if I did slip here and there she was a trooper and refrained from commenting. I think she may have been a tad big intimidated by me initially. (lol) Regardless, It didn’t take long for Natalie and I to bond. All politics aside, we had more in common than one would think, even with a forty year age difference.
Even though we are years apart, her style is very similar to my own. (I like to think I have a good eye) Natalie is very fashionable. She dresses age appropriately but with quite a bit of class. I think she tends to give this credit to miss rena, and if you don’t know who that is you should visit our last years post on mother’s day https://femininefindings.com/grammy-nana-nonna-avo-babcia-gigi-mimi-how-much-do-you-love-your-grandmother/ Her taste in clothing and accessories is very similar to my own. I remember the night we both came out of our rooms with the same PJ’s on… LOL we were destined to be kindred spirits.
Obviously, I didn’t dress as youthful as she did. But many of her choices are trendy but yet classic. We love to shop and we both love a bargain…She became my go to on numerous wardrobe decisions. Unknowingly, she even broke down my disdain for ripped jeans. I purchased a pair with a “slight” tear in them…I certainly could not pull off some of those with the knees missing!
Similarity number two, we both have a deep love for our families. The value we place in spending quality time with our family members was something we spoke about frequently. We shared and compared our holiday, vacation and family traditions. The common theme was whatever or however we spent the time we loved doing it with our families. We especially loved games..card games, board games, sports, you name it we were all in.
Similarity number three, we both are extremely sensitive. I remember the first time she shed a few tears in front of me and apologized. I immediately told her to never apologize as she was in the presence of the biggest “cry baby” on the planet. That made her smile. We cried together over many things, happy and sad. The list is quite long.. I’m not sure we have enough print to cover it…. (Little exaggeration there)
Natalie is thoughtful, intelligent and kind. She has so much ahead of her and I can see myself in her as a young woman. Her quest trying to become solely independent while navigating in a world of uncertainty. She recently started a new job in a new state. It was a start in a direction.. maybe not her lifelong career but experience can never be undervalued.
I remember my first job. It was a struggle to budget my miniscule salary so that I had enough money to pay rent and eat. I was alone in a big world. A little girl from a tiny hick town. It was overwhelming for me to say the least. I can totally empathize with where natalie is in her life right now.
Those first few years out of college are an ambiguous time of life. So many decisions and never quite knowing if you are making the right ones. But she has the grit to get through it. I am proud of what she has accomplished thus far. The road is not easy but I know she will prevail. I, along with many others believe in her and know what she is capable of.
I was so impressed with Natalie that I thought she would be an incredible asset to share in the journey of Feminine Findings. This blog was meant for “ALL” women. And many times literature is sometimes targeted to certain age groups, something that was not my intent but difficult to convey.
It’s hard to get younger women to want to read a blog they think does not pertain to them personally. The funny thing is.. the older point of view may very well be helpful and relevant to you down the road. my older self can so appreciate my mother’s journey, now more than ever.
But try to convince them once they find out the author is that much older than them. Who wants another mother hen’s perspective? Even my own girls are probably sick of listening to me. Hence, my brainstorm of including this vibrant, talented younger woman, Natalie Rowe Seier.
And for us older women, it’s nice to compare what the youth of today think about certain topics that are relevant to women of all ages. I personally just like seeing the evolvement of our gender. And yes.. I will say it again I am a female as I was born with two xx chromosomes. This new gender topic is a controversial one which I don’t quite understand. But we will save that for another day.
I have learned so much from Natalie.. As I previously said I do have two daughters who help me navigate the new “world.” But many times, due to Natalie’s background she provides me with a different education. And I love our conversations, even if we differ it always comes from a non threatening, respectful place. We have even had a few political conversations…lol and we still like each other..(imagine that)
I can’t tell you how blessed I am to have this beautiful young woman in my life. And wherever our paths may lead I know she will always be with me, whether physically or in my heart and mind. Thank you Natalie Rowe Seier for being my friend and my co-author. You are like a daughter to me. You are indeed a godsend to my life and my blog. Love you
