The First Conversation

On Tuesday, April 12, I brought together a group of women from different aspects of my life. This was something I wanted to do for awhile now. I finally did it and so happy I did! There were appetizers, mini-cupcakes, the Bucket of Wonderment, six phenomenal women, and wine, of course. The evening was filled with conversation, openness, heart-wrenching and lots of laughter. 


The evening began with one posing the question, "What is your passion...your cause?" Even with seven different women, each of our causes overlapped with one another. They included youth employment skills, education and violence, equity and education, environment and women/children and its long-term affects, and women/girls and poverty. However, another answered with, "Is what I am doing helping anyone?" This led us back to the original question and, "What is a passion?" Is it what each of said or is it more simple like hiking, cooking, reading, running, and other hobbies?


After more casual conversation and getting to know each other professionally and educationally, we dove into the Bucket of Wonderment. I did not want to have question and answer, sit in a circle, serious conversation of me or someone else facilitating questions. That seemed so boring and not the point of the evening. I wanted something different where everyone has a part, but not the pressure of coming up with their own questions and then the "Something" of Wonderment came to mind and I finally determined a bucket was best. The Bucket of Wonderment is a bucket filled with questions, both serious and fun. One pulled out a question, asked it and then each of us would answer and converse about it. Little did I know it would be so successful. 


Questions posed included: "What is one word that describes you?"; "What city should not be included on a map and why?"; "What do you look for in a mentor?"; "Who would you call to be bailed out of jail?"; "What are your barriers?"; and after that serious question, we needed something light hearted so naturally, "How important is sex to you?"


So what did we learn, in no particular order:

• Moxie
• Indecisive
• Analyzer
• Different
• Compassion
• More boss like than me
• Concrete action steps
• Encouraging women
• Teacher, Counselor
• Malcolm X
• Timing 
• Perception of others
• Desire
• Past attitude
• Yes
• Not as much
• Not now

So which is associated to which? In the upcoming weeks, I will pose one of the questions each week from the first Wine, Women & Conversation to continue the conversation, not only between those of us that attended, but amongst you too. So, yes, whether you are in Chicago, the Midwest, the U.S. or another country, comment and help make this an ongoing conversation among women.


Cheers!