There are a lot of things I can say about my parents. One thing is certain, I was never told that I couldn't do something because of my gender or because it made no sense to them. My father followed in a family business and was miserable. My brother tried our family business and then followed his passion. Not all parents are enlightened enough to do that, but I guess I am following my parents guide. Yes, money is important, but plenty of rich people are unhappy. Happy people are rich in other ways.

So, when my children say, "what do you want me to do?" I tell them "do what you want to do." 

Recently I had a talk with a young girl who set off to study one thing and changed her mind in her freshman year, much to her mom's dismay. Mom's reasoning, "I want her to have a job that will make a lot of money. She shouldn't depend on someone else. " Never did she say I want my daughter to be happy.

And the term a lot of money is pretty subjective. On more than one occasion, I told the mom, I'm sorry I disagree with you. I even talked with the young person and gave her some suggestions that would make sense in her new path. The other day the mother came by and said, "please talk to her, tell her she is wrong." I couldn't. Not only do I disagree with the mother's approach to the problem, but I see how unhappy the young girl is about the rigid attitude of the mom.

I have no idea what lies in the future for my sons or my friend's daughter, for that matter. I know that what they set out to study will evolve into something that probably hasn't been created yet. I was going to be a newspaper writer, or a playwright. I wrote for newspapers, before using my skills in a more philanthropic endeavor; so now I write to make myself happy. And isn't that what we all want? 

So, thanks mom and dad for telling me it was alright to dream that I would be the first female writer to win a Pulitizer Prize Winner for Sports. But in the 41 years they have awarded the prize to commentary, only two sports writers have won. My idol Red Smith and Dave Anderson. So, my dream is still safe.