Lee Woodruff is My Role Mommy

I recently had the opportunity to spend some quality time with Lee Woodruff, author of the NY Times best-seller "In an Instant,"whose recent book, "Perfectly Imperfect" had me laughing and crying on a car ride home from Block Island the other day.  More on that experience in a moment...

Lee moderated a panel at BlogHer 2009 called the "Purposeful Life Tweet-up" that was sponsored by Pepsico and hosted by the company's CMO Jill Beraud - an incredible Role Mommy herself who has managed to raise a family and climb to the top of the corporate ladder with talent, warmth and grace.  The mission of the session was to kick off an annual event at BlogHer that encourages women to explore what's important to them and what gives their lives meaning.

I couldn't believe how quickly the panel session passed and yet, within those 60 minutes, we bonded over topics that were of great importance to us such as advocacy, our careers, giving a voice to a cause through our writing, work/life balance and of course, our families. While we laughed quite a bit during the conversation, there were also intense moments in the conversation that moved all of us to tears.

Lucky for me, I have had the pleasure of getting to know Lee Woodruff these past few years and what I've come to discover is that she is truly a role model for purposeful living.  Lee created the Bob and Lee Woodruff Foundation and Remind.org along with her husband, former news anchor Bob Woodruff, who suffered traumatic brain injuries while covering the Iraqi war for ABC news. Following his miraculous recovery, which the couple recount in the New York Times bestseller, "In an Instant: A Family's Journey of Love and Healing", the Woodruffs have made it their life's mission to find ways to help war veterans who have suffered brain injuries as a result of combat. And in doing so, they have touched countless lives along the way.

Now I know since you're visiting the Just for Fun section, my purpose in life is to make you smile.  Which leads me to my latest book recommendation for your summer reading pleasure, Lee's latest book, "Perfectly Imperfect" .   I have always looked up to women who have an incredible way with words and Lee Woodruff is by far, one of the most gifted writers I know.  In this heartfelt collection of essays, she manages to weave nostalgic stories from her childhood, while sharing moments from her life as a mom that will leave you laughing out loud and at times, reaching for a box of tissues.  If that's not the perfect ingredient for a great summer read, then I don't know what is.