| "Get over there," my friend Nan said with a shove. | | | | the marrow. |
| I won't. I can't go, I thought, then recoiled. I set down my | | | | "Oh! Hello. Good afternoon, Mrs. Carter," I stammered. |
| tea, put the book back into my black tote bag and | | | | "Congratulations on your induction, and your |
| zipped it shut. She'd never, I mean why would she?" | | | | accomplishments," I paused. "Oh and would you mind |
| "Just come on, will you?" Nan said so... well, so | | | | very much signing my book. Would you? Oh and my |
| confidently. Oh yeah, that's right. I'm the journalist here. | | | | name's Laura, by the way." I swallowed hard. Smooth, |
| I straightened by back, fumbled for the paperback and | | | | right? I finally get to meet The First Lady From Plains |
| walked over to greet Nan. Yes, living life at the | | | | and there's no place at all to buy a vowel. |
| marrow, that's what I'd promised myself. It's my | | | | Rosalynn Carter extended her hand. I placed the pen in |
| favorite quote from Thoreau's Walden: Life isn't worth | | | | her grip and gazed at her like a child opening a pop-up |
| living unless you can live it at the marrow. And I was | | | | storybook and watching the pictures come to life. |
| doing it. Although, I could begin tomorrow... | | | | "Pleased to meet you," she said. |
| "Hurry up!" | | | | She signed, then placed the volume and pen back into |
| Okay, now I'm nervous, tightly gripping my dog-eared | | | | my hands. Snap! |
| and yellowed copy of First Lady From Plains with | | | | "Thank you," I said smoothing the glossy cover. |
| anticipation. In the other hand a pen, damp with | | | | Nan and I returned to our seats. The former First Lady |
| perspiration. "Are you sure? Do you think she'll mind?" | | | | returned to her seat. And the chicken salad was |
| "Get over there next to her and I'll take your picture." | | | | served. |
| I looked up. Yes, there I was standing right next to her; | | | | About The National Women's Hall Of Fame |
| the former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. I was. I swear. | | | | (Reference: |
| (You can see me here: I'd been invited to the National | | | | "In 1969, a group of women and men of Seneca Falls |
| Women's Hall Of Fame annual induction luncheon in | | | | created the National Women's Hall of Fame, believing |
| Seneca Falls, New York. The best credential I'd ever | | | | that the contribution of American women deserved a |
| earned working as a journalist. Just to be on the beat | | | | permanent home in the small village where it all began. |
| was an accomplishment, I promise you. | | | | The Hall is home to exhibits, artifacts of historical |
| The Women's Hall pays tribute to females of | | | | interest, a research library and office. The National |
| experience, women of power, persuasion. Women | | | | Women's Hall of Fame, a national membership |
| from the likes of Oprah, to legends passed such as | | | | organization, holds as its mission: |
| suffragist Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks and literary | | | | 'To honor in perpetuity these women, citizens of the |
| giants like Willa Cather and Eudora Welty. These | | | | United States of America whose contributions to the |
| Great Ladies, all two hundred seventeen of them, line | | | | arts, athletics, business, education, government, the |
| the walls of the National Women's Hall. Accomplished | | | | humanities, philanthropy and science, have been the |
| women. Women who dared. Women who live life at | | | | greatest value for the development of their country. |