3 minute read
From the Editor-In-Chief
To mark Women's History Month, I'm pleased to share the story of two vastly different women whose words and actions, especially in the face of adversity, speak to the power of persistence.
I first met travel writer Breanna Wilson five years ago on a Rolls-Royce-sponsored press trip to Sheridan, Wyoming, where we enjoyed a few days of head-turning as our ragtag group rolled through the cowboy town in a fleet of Ghost, Wraith, and Dawn models. At the time, I remember admiring the ease of Breanna's uncalculated coolness; the word authentic, though often over and inappropriately assigned, is the most apropos word to summarize my first impression.
Breanna Wilson
As someone who took a more traditional life path—college-marriage-buy a house-have a child, for which I have no regrets –I admit to feeling a tinge of envy following her adventures on Instagram (@breannajwilson). When I reached out to ask if she wanted to write about her recent experience at the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, I wrote that she's living the life I would have sought if I knew such a life was an option when I was much younger. From living with nomadic Kazakhs in Western Mongolia to riding out the first COVID wave in Tbilisi, Georgia, while watching her livelihood evaporate as borders closed, Breanna shares her unvarnished experiences—good and bad— as a single and often solo female global traveler and in the process emboldening women to greenlight their own adventures.
As a youngish empty nester still a few years shy of the big 5-0, I've found myself increasingly antsy over figuring out what's next for me and not being content with letting the end of one significant chapter be the conclusion of my story. But, heartened by people like Breanna, adventure's call is gradually growing louder, reminding me to carpe diem before it's too late. It's also made me actively encourage my daughter, now in her early 20s, to color outside the lines and forge her own path, which almost assuredly means that it will be vastly different from my own.
Making the most of every minute: A behind-the-scenes image from my annual themed New Year’s card photoshoot with my daughter. Photo by Tony Bailey.
Lara MacGregor is also inspiring as someone who squeezed every last drop of goodness out of her too-short life. The founder of Hope Scarves (hopescarves.org) died from breast cancer this past January at age 45. First diagnosed as a young mother in her thirties, Lara chose not to retreat inward and feel sorry for herself. Instead, she found strength in empowering others and sharing her cancer struggle with raw honesty. According to her obituary, she often asked family and friends, "Is what you're doing filling your bucket?"
Lara MacGregor
After her death, the online tributes that quickly proliferated on social media shared a common thread: Lara was someone who lived and loved with purpose, intensity, and in the moment, the latter being her brave acknowledgment that the ink was quickly drying on her life's story.
Stay inspired, and keep filling your bucket.
Bridget Williams, Editor-In-Chief bridget@slmag.net
