Fight Like a Woman!

My friend, Domini, is literally recovering from brain surgery -- she had an aneurysm that would have killed her if it wasn't removed immediately. My uncle had the same surgery over ten years ago -- by the same, brilliant neuro-surgeon! This “coincidence” has bonded us through her journey and I have learned many things from her.

We visited at her home last week. She amazed me by greeting me at the door, herself. She is much thinner than the last time I saw her. Other than that, she looked wonderful. She guided me to her back porch where she had water, tea and cookies all ready for us. I can only imagine the amount of how tiring it must have been for her to prepare for my visit.

The gift I brought her was clever and unusual. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was the right gift for her. Little did I know how appropriate this gift was. It was a miniature pair of pink leather boxing gloves embossed with the words, “Fight Like a Woman”. When Domini opened her gift, she exclaimed with all the expected oohs and aahs. But the conversation that followed was the real gift.


By then, Domini’s sister, Kim (who is also my friend), had joined us. She commented how apt those words were for Domini’s situation. She said that the grace and courage with which Domini and her husband, John, had handled the entire crisis had set the tone for everyone involved – their children, their family, their friends … and even their medical staff. Their light-hearted approach, caring for others, positive attitude, strength and faith kept everyone else strong and positively focused.


I had not considered before how much power a patient has … the choice to be a leader even in what some might consider the least powerful position a person can be in. A patient is a leader when s/he takes responsibility for a situation rather than becoming a victim to it.


We went on to talk about what it means to “fight like a woman”. Domini’s strength certainly came from her faith in God; but, she was also committed to conquering her challenge because her husband, children, family and friends needed her. She was fighting like a woman – not out of competition or anger but out of love.


A parent is a leader whose actions are motivated by love, guidance and protection.


Questions to ponder: When have we fought “like a woman” (even if we are male)? In what areas of our life do we feel like a victim? How can we change the situation and become a leader within it, rather than a victim to it? How might “fighting like a woman” change the situation?