Unfamiliar with what “female survival” is exactly? Well basically, it’s the process of how a woman can uniquely get herself out of a particular situation. Sometimes it might be a situation that is a bit more universal, like being late or getting lost, but quite often it is a situation that only a woman would find herself in.

Sometimes it is the combination of the event and the solution that makes it even more notable, and it’s the ingenuity of these women and their cleverness that should be celebrated… and it is also what makes most men think we’re crazy.

I have a teenage daughter, Melissa. I had her when I was quite young, 17, so I can usually relate to her, and we usually have a pretty close relationship. However, there was a time about a year ago that she was just impossible to reach! She was just intent on pushing every one of my buttons, being a rebel, and simply just pushing me away. One night, she wanted to go out to a party. She had been so difficult all week, and to be honest, I didn’t trust the people throwing the party. So like any good parent, I summarily told her she couldn’t go.

Melissa was so angered by this that she went to her room and slammed the door. Some time passed, and somehow something didn’t feel quite right; so I went to check on her. To my surprise, she was gone! I looked outside through her bedroom window, and saw her fleeing down the railroad tracks behind the house.

I was furious and a bit panicky! The only thing I could think was: she was NOT getting away with this! She was NOT going to get to that party! I had SPOKEN! My adrenalin kicked in, and instead of trying to track her down the conventional way by going to the party or by calling the police, I decided to get in my SUV and go down the tracks to catch her! There I was, (like 007 himself) "James Mom" barreling down the tracks after my disappearing daughter! When I finally got close enough to Melissa, I got out of the car and ran after her on foot. I was so pumped up by now, I was ready for the anything, but in the end, it didn’t take much! I think she was just in shock about what I had done.

I was still buzzing from the whole thing. Melissa got in the vehicle without resistance, and as we rode back over the tracks I made sure to make each bump a memorable one! I went at a speed that seemed to emphasize each agonizing rail. I think I earned new respect from my daughter that day, because she realized…well, probably that I was crazy, and that you can’t beat a crazy lady! Actually, I think it did give her an understanding of just how serious I was and from then on we have regained the close and trusting relationship we use to have.

Dawn

Send us your Female Survivor stories! We invite all of our readers to submit their stories on how to cope with quirky situations. If you have had an experience you’d like to share, or have heard of another woman’s experience that you believe our readers would enjoy and learn from, please e-mail your submissions. Your story may be chosen and published in an upcoming issue of Melt Magazine.

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