There is an undeniable power that women possess. "I am woman, hear me roar."

I felt it last week when I attended the Kansas City Women’s Foundation Luncheon.

I looked around the ballroom in the Sheraton Hotel at Crown Center, formerly the Hyatt Regency Hotel and it was full of all the female movers and shakers in the city. The room was abuzz with power. Power that these women had chosen to use to help less fortunate women put lives together, protect themselves from abuse, afford educations, and learn to empower themselves.

I was happy to be there. And even happier to hear about the thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants they had raised and doled out to make a difference for women in this city.

It got me to thinking about what my role is as a woman and how I can be a part of something so magnificent.

was so inspired that when they passed around pledge cards I didn’t hesitate to make a contribution, knowing it was going to better the lives of some women struggling to survive in this man’s world. So intoxicated by the power of these beautiful and articulate women, I gave. No regrets. None.

I thought about my mother and how she worked and raised the three of us making sure that we were exposed to an array of culture, dance, music, all types of foods. How hard she worked to make sure my sister and I were strong and independent women. And that my brother knew how to respect women, cherish their beauty and intelligence. He was a fast learner. Not that he had any choice given that he grew up in a house with such a strong mother and two highly opinionate and no nonsense sisters. My mom was always quick to say that if women ruled the world it would be a better place to live in. I think she’s right. Although there are some women these days with ugly spirits that don’t fit the strong, nurturing, common spirit that I think, with bias, that most women seem to have.

As I sat in the ballroom and chatted with some of the smartest people I’ve known, I thought about my sister, a senior prosecutor in New York who is raising a son and a daughter while staying extremely physically fit ( a marathon runner) and is a great sister who always has my back helping me too with my children.

And I thought about a friend of mine who is enduring chemo therapy, battling breast cancer and still smiling, caring for her family and has a pleasant disposition - what an inspiration.

I thought too about all the women who came to my aid when I lost my husband.

I particularly remember the day I went to the Jackson County Court House Annex to pay my property tax. I thought that my husband had been taking care of this and found out that day I still owed more than $300 in back taxes. When the clerk at the window told me I was floored. She could see in my face that this was a hardship. I told her that my husband had passed away a month ago and he had been responsible for paying this bill. I thought it had been taken care of and that I would only be paying the most recent taxes not back taxes and wasn’t prepared to pay so much.

She had lost her husband several years ago and said she couldn’t believe I was even together enough so soon to try and take care of any bills at all. She smiled and said fortunately for me she had had a stroke of luck recently and it would be no problem for her to help. I told her know but she insisted. “Don’t worry about this. You shouldn’t have to worry about something like this. I understand what you are going through because I’ve been there. I’ve got you.”

She paid it for me with a smile. She wouldn’t take no. She told me, “when you can, pay it forward.”

Wow! I thought then, the power of women. And I was moved to tears.

I do little things to support my sisters every chance I get, but until this wee at the Women’s Foundation, I hadn’t had a chance to actually pay it forward in the way that she suggested I do.

I’m grateful to the this amazing group of women for all that they do in this city and I’m so happy I got the chance to make a small donation, to pay it forward to in some way contribute to the power of women.