On behalf of my University, I was able to attend the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Dinner of 2010. As all of the honoree’s went up, they told us their childhood career dreams. Although all of the women had great answers, my personal favorite was from the woman sitting at our table, who was nominated as a Rising Star, a woman of great professionalism who gives back to her community, and is under the age of 35.
Danyl S. Petterson, a Principal of The Patterson Law Firm, came up on stage and told us that she wanted to be Wonder Woman when she grew up. She wanted the red suit (she was wearing a red suit), the gold bangle (she was wearing a gold bangle) and to be beautiful and svelte like Wonder Woman (she was both of these, too). She looked up at the crowd and asked, “Do you see where I’m going here with this?” Of course we do! Your dream came true.
I loved meeting such a confident, funny woman, who had faced some difficulties in life, and still maintained her warm personality because it was what got her through the day. I enjoyed speaking with her at the table, where she jokingly discussed how upset she was that the Journal had increased her age by two years in print. She joked, “Do you know what I could do with those two years?”
In her bio in the paper they handed out, Danyl describes her biggest challenge: “Remembering that winning every battle is not necessary to win the war.” I’ve decided this tidbit of advice is going to be my mantra during this finals season. I can only make my best effort, and I cannot win everything.
I also reflected on what I wanted to be as a little girl. After stashing away my desires to be a professional dancer (my limbs are all double jointed so I can’t straighten my legs or arms completely), I decided I wanted to be an interior designer. I wanted a business, but still wanted to be creative, much like I feel today. I remember one art class, we had to create ourselves on paper as our future dream, and I was in a suit skirt, blue top, and carried a briefcase. Looks like my dreams haven’t changed much either!