Mentorship

Long time reader, though this is the first time I’ve actually written…anything here. As a fairly young person, I’ve always felt like I would have very little insight to add to the discussion here. I’ve always felt content to read and ruminate.

Today I have something to say. First, my background…I am twenty, have been enlisted in the U.S. military since I was 17. I don’t meet many females. At all. In the past three years, I have had exactly 10 female co-workers (total. combined.) and at least three dozen male coworkers (total). Many times I have been the only female in the office/shop what have you, or one of two. I’ve decided this is unhealthy for me, but we’ll talk about that later.

I am having ethics issues at my current place of employment and went to discuss them with a career counselor today, who happens to be a woman I’ve know my whole career and whom I respect and admire very much. And she says to me

“You know, I’ve always admired you? You are so smart, so capable…you are just great. You are going to have no problem making a career out of the military. You are just amazing.”

I was floored. Here is this woman, thirty years my senior, who I have looked up to and admired for these past three years…and she thinks I’m worth a damn? That’s…that’s awesome. 

Please. Please. Those of you who may be older, wiser, what ever (quite honestly, just HAVING a blog makes you a bit of a celebrity)…even if YOU don’t think you are an inspiration, you are. Us newbies, we watch you. We look to you. We value you. When you take the time to mentor us, take the time to let us know that YOU value US…it washes away the bull crap. It makes us stronger women. It enables us in a way that no amount of “Girl Power” posters in fifth grade ever could. 

Take the time today to tell a young woman the things about her that you value. Commend her honesty, her bravery, anything. It means the world to us.