I might be biased but…these days it seems like television, movies, and literature portray thirty-something single women as either 1. glamorous party girls constantly moving between conquests or 2. whiny homely chicks who are immensely dissatisfied with their lives and can’t understand why they aren’t married. (Because they are a drag to be around, that’s why.)

At My Happiest With My Niece, Anne Shelton Porterfield

Don’t get me wrong, there certainly are women out there who fit both these molds, but what about the rest of us? I know this is going to be a surprise to a lot of you, but there are some 30+ year old women out there who are looking for more, they are looking to be more. They are struggling to balance their dreams of being savvy career women with their dreams of being married and having kids – and fearfully facing the reality that they might not be able to have it all. And probably just like you, they are trying to have faith in the plans God has for them, “plans to give [them] a hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11-12)

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Yesterday was one of those days. One of those days where I was inexplicably in a dark mood. I felt anxious, lonely, tired, sad, and overwhelmed. The feelings crept up on me in the morning and by the afternoon they were inescapable.

On the my way home I dialed Dad. He answered and was greeted with a flood of my emotions. My dad is wonderful in this type of situation because he is a skilled listener. He heard me out, said a few calming words, and told me he loved me.

Finding Comfort in Tears

As I hung up the phone and continued to weep, I wondered where these feelings had come from. I am generally pretty content, and honestly nothing about yesterday was out of the ordinary. I wondered why in the midst of my sadness I felt so alive. I wondered why my tears felt strangely comforting.

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1. I am related to George Washington. I know that everyone says that, but seriously I am. My mom’s maiden name is Washington and our family has one of his four pistols.

George Washington

2. I used to plan all the special events for Books-A-Million and met a long list of famous authors and celebrities in that gig — Pat Conroy (my favorite), Nora Roberts, Paula Deen, John McCain, Joel Osteen, Patricia Cornwell, and Lou Holtz – just to name a few.

3. I Twitter, a lot. It really is a technology you should check out (www.twitter.com). Through it I have found a church, met new friends, and learned a ton.

4. I love to take road trips. Mostly because they area great excuse for me to sing and do dramatic interpretation of songs. One of my many talents. Seriously, you should see me do it sometime — I am fantastic.

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