Does the woman in Austria who is going through a divorce with a man she has been married to for the past 35 years lament to her girlfriends in Japan about it? 

What kind of menopause issues do the women in India have going on? Do they talk about their constant need for cool air and a fan? (The average annual temperature in India is around 80° to 90° unless you’re in the Himalayas.) Her friend in Alaska may not feel the same way, but might have empathy anyway.

Could the multi-millionaire woman in Beverly Hills not only be friends with, but also understand the impoverished woman in rural Mexico?

Do women share universal similarities? Do we all feel the same way about marriage, childbirth, making a home, caring for ourselves, living to our fullest, and how we sustain our friendships? 

Lots of questions here. And unfortunately, I don’t have all the answers for you. The topic is difficult to research. There are so many variations to universal similarities. I found topics of men versus women in different countries. Obesity rates amongst people in different countries. Gender issues within each country. Maybe I was just looking it up in the wrong way, but I found nothing regarding the similarities that women share universally.

An abstract article from The U.S. Library of Medicine National Institutions of Health talked about cultural differences in emotion, but it went further on to talk about a completely different emotion than the ones I am using to bring women together. 

So for now, please humor me by accepting my opinion rather than the cold hard facts. The way I view friendship amongst women globally is that those having a relationship between one another must possess some sort of like-mindedness. I believe a friendship starts with the “birds of a feather” cliche and then could very well move onto those not-so-conventional relationships (see my blog about Unlikely Friendships). I have many friendships like this so I actually do think that any of the above scenarios about women finding a similarity between one another when separated by many miles are not so far-fetched. 

Here’s an Example

I’ve been known to refer to my life as a life that has gone from peanut butter to caviar. What I mean by that is, I once lived a very modest life. It was eventful for sure, but at a completely different level than it is now. It was a different world back then. I bought my own car, insurance, clothing, and many other things—things that my kids now get help with from my husband Pete and I. 

My mom dropped out of high school when she was a sophomore in high school. Her low level of knowledge and skill for many trades kept her at an equally low level of income. I had to work for everything I had because she couldn’t afford much. 

My dad was on dialysis due to renal failure, so that kept him in a low level of income as well. They were separated by the time I was 10 years old and he passed when I was 12.   

I’ve come a long way from those humble beginnings but still feel I (hopefully) possess humility, no matter the circumstances. 

My Point?

I would like to encourage women around the world to seek out our similarities with those around the world. Being sought out by one another should be celebrated. At the very core of each of us, we’re alike. We live in different environments, we practice different religions, we have different colored skin, we cherish different traditions. But as a group—a very large group—there is no denying our likenesses. 

I’m not saying that we have to rush out and find a penpal, but wouldn't it be nice if we started up that tradition again? How fun to have a friend in another country to compare notes with. 

I love that you were with me today. See you next time

XO

Lisa A.K.A. Loopie