Women Helping Women (of Any Age) at BlogHer

I've been reading lots of blog posts and comments about last weekend's BlogHer conference, and it seems as if some of the women over age 40 are feeling a bit left out by the younger crowd as these 20-something women Twitter, text message and basically (at least it's perceived that way) run digital circles around the middle-aged blogging community.

Well, I have to tell you, I don't see it that way. I'm not 20-something. I'm not 30-something. But I met some of the most fabulous younger women at BlogHer, and they didn't intimidate me. They inspired me. I learned so much, and even jumped on the Twitter bandwagon at their urging. (You can follow me at http://twitter.com/kathysena.) I'm now checking out dozens of tips I learned from these generous women, either from panels where they spoke or from across the table at lunch, over a martini in the evening or in e-mails since we returned home.

Mastering this digital-communication thing doesn't have anything to do with age. It's about being open to trying something new, being willing to learn from someone who may have been in preschool when I was in high school. I'm waking up this week raring to go. I'm thinking of ways to improve this blog even as I take a shower or load the dishwasher. Forget juicy novels. My bedtime reading, thanks to BlogHer, is all about search-engine optimization at the moment.

Thanks to all you women, of any age, who sent me home from San Francisco full of enthusiasm for being a writer and a blogger, as well as a mom. I'm honored — and jazzed — to be one of you.

P.S. This wonderful piece of embroidery art is featured over at a terrific site that I just discovered, Layers of Meaning. The site was created by Serena Fenton, and it's beautiful. Check it out.