Last weekend, in Washington, D.C., Pat Mitchell of the Paley Center for Media hosted a TEDxWomen 2012 Conference, a weekend-long event exploring the topic of “The Space Between”. The Space Between is a hard concept to grasp but in essence it boils down to this: it’s that infinite place between two opposing views where ideas are born and discussed.
In a short period of time and in a beautiful venue (the United States Institute of Peace), 50 speakers from around the globe, both male and female, young and old, talked about the space between poverty and plenty, fact and faith, IQ and EQ, what we see and what we reflect, stops and starts, and seeing and doing.
What was wonderful about the topic of The Space Between is that it allowed for personal interpretation of values, beliefs, anger, wonderment, thanksgiving, artistry, and so much more. Because there was no clearly defined meaning, the speakers could tailor their presentations to fit their personal take on all things. And, just in case the word Women after the TEDx makes anyone think the conference was something akin to a bra burning, man hating, feminist event, rest assured it was anything but that. From war correspondents to artists, the topics ranged from helping reconnect prison fathers with their daughters to gender lens investing to Darwin reshaping the way we think about creation. To see a complete list of the conference speakers and synopsis of their talks click here.
I was fortunate to go to TEDxWomen 2012 The Space Between. For me it was an opportunity, after many years of primarily being a mom, to explore where, in the near future, I may make the most of my time, talent and treasure. It wasn’t a life changing experience but it certainly was life shifting. I hope to attend next year’s event and would encourage you to do so too.
In an Irish Home 
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