Heck of Day…

There is something about The Women’s Conference that is different from any other conference I have ever experienced. First of all, there’s energy throughout the convention center that is simply electrifying.  You can see it in the participants’ faces—joy, anticipation, hope, and openness. You pass a woman and exchange a look that asks, “Do I know you?” Everybody feels so familiar here…like we are already friends; we just haven’t been formally introduced yet.

This is the only place I have ever been where strangers want to make eye contact with you—and engage you in conversation!   I got on the elevator after lunch and in the short ride from the exhibit hall floor to the balcony floor, five of us discussed 1) how inspiring the opening session with Deepak Chopra and her Holiness Shinso Ito was; 2) how the boxed lunches were really good, but would have been better if they had included chocolate for dessert, and 3) and how excited we all were to hear Dr. Martha Beck speak.  In a 45 second ride-up, the group went from being total strangers to sorority sisters. The elevator doors opened, we smiled at each other and scattered like marbles on a tile floor to find seats in the large auditorium.

Once seated I turned to the woman next to me and asked her to complete the phrase, “It’s time…” (since that is the theme of this conference.)  She thought for a moment and replied, “It’s time for me to take what I’ve learned and experienced and put it to use helping women.”

I followed up quickly, “So what does that look like?” Surprised that I was interested in knowing her thoughts, she said, “Well, when I was in Africa last February…”

“Wait a minute,” I said, “you were in Africa last February?”

“Yes, I was there to help the women of Mali…and then I spent 8 days in Haiti in April.”

Now, I was really impressed. “What did you do in Africa and Haiti?” I asked.

She said, “I listened. I empathized. I offered my knowledge and experience to the women in Mali, and I offered my labor and my heart to the people of Haiti.”

I was speechless. She continued, “I’ve been a therapist for years. I help teen girls with self-esteem and I’ve worked with kids for a long time.” I nodded, spellbound.
“I feel like I’m living out my name—Phyllis—which means the bough of a tree or tenderhearted.”

Still amazed at the responsibility that Phyllis from Chino Hills, California had assumed for the women of Africa and the families of Haiti, I headed to the last session of the afternoon, featuring the amazing Tony Robbins, life coach extraordinaire. It would be impossible to describe this man’s personal wattage and charisma, but he had 3,500 women jumping, hugging, dancing, and hooting.

I think I have the best job at this conference. I get to walk around with notepad and pen and ask people basic questions, like, “Why are you here?” and “What do you do?” This year’s theme: “It’s Time” is resonating with everyone. What is it time for you to do?