BLANCHE'S AGILITY

I learned so much from my mom, especially how to make do, how to be agile. We didn't have a lot of money, but my mom was a very strong and agile woman. We raised chickens and sold eggs. My mom made dresses out of feed sacks for me to wear. She loved to sew. I had all these fancy dresses, which made everyone think we were rich. One day, I asked my mother, “Are we poor?” She replied, “No, you will never be poor. You can be broke but not poor. You are rich because you have family, love and food to eat.”

My husband passed away six months ago from strokes he'd had for years. Before that he was ill a lot. Every day was a challenge for him, and for me as I figured out how to help him eat, walk and communicate. I had to entertain and humor him, keep him emotionally stable.

We all have choices in life. I chose to stand by him no matter what. It wasn't easy. I worked as a dental assistant for 34 years and was the sole supporter of my family. I did what I had to do. Surrounding myself with all the kids in the neighborhood kept me young and agile. You can either make life good or not. I try to be agile and open-minded, try to see humor in everything. You've got to have lightness and darkness. How would we know what lightness feels like if we didn't have darkness to remind us?

I'm a woman; I'm strong and rich in the ways that count and I know how to do more than just get by. I choose to celebrate even when I feel like crying. That's agility. I guess I'm lucky I grew up in New Orleans, where you don't need a reason to celebrate.

Blanche, 74

A LOVER OF LIFE, PEOPLE AND TREES

With agility you can tackle a world of options as you follow your passionate vision. The next Feminine Force, the genius inside every woman, can make your vision a brilliant reality and lead you to truly wicked success.

QUEEN LATIFAH