Gumption

Gumption. 

Courage and confidence. I have had moments of gumption in my life. I think I learned it from my mother, and she from hers. 

I remember standing up to my boss one summer when he was unfairly chastising my friend and co-worker. I was only nineteen, and generally respectful to my elders and authority figures, but as I watched him I found myself compelled to step in. I simply could not let him treat her so unjustly. In the course of our conversation I pointed out to him everything I had done to improve his business. Prior to this encounter he had always looked for something to complain about each day. Often times it was something as simple as me failing to cover up my typewriter when I left for the day. 

At that point I only had a few weeks left before I returned to college and my job would end. However, he never said another negative thing again and treated me quite respectfully for the remainder of my time on the job. Sometimes you just have to muster up the gumption to speak up. 

"But I believe that girls need gumption, too, especially in this day and age. I believe you are a girl with gumption."

The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant

As it turns out all three of us, my grandmother, my mother and myself are Boston girls.