I hung out with our soon-to-be 16 year old daughter and her friends the other day. We went to the mall for a quick look and then off to the volleyball banquet at the local soul food restaurant. As I am eating fried okra and hot links watching the young women sing karaoke, it dawns on me what a strange world I have entered. Girls do just want to have fun.

You never saw a group of people so enjoying the company of each other, no posturing, and no one was left out of the mix. I don’t know if it was the fact that they played sports together (has to help), or these young women simply have their act together. Now I am not naïve. I have worked with youth for over 20 years. I coach middle school girl’s basketball; I have seen Bring It On and Mean Girls for crying out loud! But I dare say there is something we can learn from teenage young women.

Pay attention to everyone in the room. Encouragement and affirmation are pretty powerful tools. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Smile a lot. Laugh a lot. Thanks for the lesson 2004 Reseda High School Girl’s Volleyball team. You rock!