On “Having it all” and Fresh Starts

July 1, 2012

This week I wrote a slew of stories on people rebuilding their lives and on the search for what “having it all” means to women in the US. On the rebuilding front, I wrote about entrepreneurs in Afghanistan who have forged ahead in the past decade rebuilding their countries and their lives and trying to move Afghanistan toward the future. I also wrote about Marie Tillman, who talks in her new book about how she learned to endure the pain of losing her husband while enduring unending public scrutiny and hunting for the truth about how he died.

And then there is the topic that has occupied a great deal of attention in the US: ‘having it all’ for women and Anne-Marie Slaughter’s excellent and powerful article about the reality of that quest. The piece unearthed a slew of comments and reactions, the volume and tenor of which showed just how complicated, sensitive and urgent all of these questions really are. See what you think if you haven’t yet read it.

I wrote a piece related to the discussion around the Slaughter cover story that focused on women and ambition. So many times young women stall before they start because they are discouraged from setting out to pursue their dreams. And while ambition cannot be taught, it sure can be crushed. As we talk about what “having it all” means, we cannot forget how important it is to make certain that women do not give up before they begin. You can give it a read here and see what you think.