Wow.  What a week.

What started out as a run-of-the-mill busy week of professional obligations for me turned into a bizarre series of news “events,” stories of death, divorce and revolution.  At first, I felt merely like a witness to a string of unrelated events, but then I noticed a theme emerging, rather more than one, that struck me as particularly poignant.

Iran is upside down with political unrest, its citizen protesters gunned down indiscriminately by unnamed “security forces” after a questionable election process took place a few weeks ago.  Emerging from the otherwise sad story of yet another oppressive dictatorship, is the story of the Women of Iran, for the first time being recognized as a powerful group of resilient members of that society, no longer willing to let their husbands and sons die in silence.  Suffering for years at the hands of their own government, they are refusing to be shuffled off quietly now, despite horrific political and religious constraints.  The murder of Neda Agha-Soltani at the hands of her own government has resonated with the world, who is treating the 26 year old student as a martyr, even dubbing her a modern day Joan of Arc.  CNN has aired several interviews with other women in and around the area of Tehran begging for global assistance as they fight for what we consider basic human and civil rights.

On a completely different note, came the Monday announcement that celebreality couple Jon & Kate Gosselin have officially filed for divorce.  Not exactly a surprise to anyone who owns a television set, it still nonetheless felt like the final nail in the coffin after the slow death of what was once an ordinary marriage between a young and promising couple.

Kate Gosselin issued this statement: “Over the course of this weekend, Jon’s activities have left me no choice but to file legal procedures in order to protect myself and our children.”  Her husband Jon remained characteristically mum, glibly commenting that he’s sorry if his actions have hurt his family, but that he remains dedicated to the health, happiness and well-being of his children.

On Tuesday, the question of where missing South Carolina Governor Marc Sanford had been since Thursday was answered.  He is was in Buenos Aires, Argentina visiting his mistress.  His press conference revealed an ongoing relationship with a woman he insisted he met as a friend eight years ago and with whom he had no intention of developing a more intimate relationship with.  He acknowledged the pain and disappointment that he had caused, apologizing to his wife, lover, sons, extended family, friends and colleagues.  The news media speculated whether or not he and wife of 20 years, Jenny, would try and reconcile or if the marriage was doomed.  Additionally, there was the obvious question of whether or not he should resign from political office.  He has no intention to step down at this time, but his future political ambitions (he was considered a Republican front-runner for the 2012 presidential election) have surely been ruined.

Forced to issue her own statement regarding her husband’s behavior and the state of their marriage, Jenny Sanford said this:

“When I found out about my husband’s infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness, and then to work diligently to repair our marriage. We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.”

“This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage. During this short separation it was agreed that Mark would not contact us. I kept this separation quiet out of respect of his public office and reputation, and in hopes of keeping our children from just this type of public exposure. Because of this separation, I did not know where he was in the past week.”

On Thursday, Farah Fawcett passed away after a 3 year battle with cancer.  Ms. Fawcett documented her illness in a documentary in the hopes of revealing one woman’s fight of, and for, her life.  While the news of her death was being by absorbed the public, pop icon Michael Jackson suffered an apparent heart attack in his Bel Air home, dying before reaching UCLA Medical Center.

My point in tying all of these events together is that in one week, so many lives have been turned upside down.  While we are going through our own busy work weeks, families have crumbled, careers been ruined and lives extinguished.  Despite the seeming randomness of these events, a few common themes have run throughout, not the least of which is that it’s been the women who have come out swinging.

Many of us have been in Jenny Sanford and Kate Gosselin’s shoes.  Not that our personal devastations have necessarily been played out on the world stage, but when it’s your own pain, it doesn’t matter if it’s televised.  Hurt is hurt and destruction is destruction.

On Monday night’s episode of Jon & Kate Plus 8, Kate said (and I am paraphrasing), that she doesn’t want to be alone, that she never intended to be raising a family without a partner.  But, she is not going to lie down and die.  If she “has to pull this ship on her own,” that’s what she’ll do.  I know audiences have had mixed reactions to her child-rearing skills and her seeming affection for the media, but this week (and for the past few weeks) I have only seen a woman who cries on camera, no longer seated next to her husband on the couch where they used to film their “confessionals” for the show.  I don’t care who you are - or who you think you are - divorce hurts and it hurts bad.  It remains to be seen how she’ll handle single life and single motherhood, but I have no doubt that she will live up to her promise and do whatever is within her power to give her kids a happy and balanced life.

While Gov. Sanford’s dalliance brings up the very recent memories of other transgressing politicians (John Ensign, Elliot Spitzer, and James McGreevey to name a few) professionally underminded by their personal  indiscretions, this one was a little different.  No, not because Sanford openly admitted his transgressions, or because he cried over how he’s disappointed his loved ones.  But because there was no stoic wife standing by his side as he addressed the cameras, no humiliated woman trying to hold her head up as she stood next to her apologetic, philandering husband.  What the future holds for the Sanford family remains to be seen.  But I will not pass judgement on whatever choices Jenny Sanford makes  because I am not in her shoes.  I do not have four young children at home and a marriage that I’ve worked 20 years on.  As of today, I applaud her for the actions she has taken thus far and hope that she continues to do whatever it is that she thinks is right for her and her boys.

Our fellow females have made me proud this week.  Neda’s death will not be in vain.  She can’t speak for herself or her countrymen anymore, but the women of Iran are doing it for her.  Loudly.  And without hesitation or self-righteousness.

I’m not saying that I count Kate Gosselin and Jenny Sanford among the oppressed revolutionaries, but I do see a thousand other women in their stories.  Women whose lives are not turning out the way they expected, and therefore are finding an inner strength and resolve with which to work through their transitions.  While she did not marry Ryan O’Neal and their only son remains in jail, Farrah proved her inner strength and resolve until the end, sharing with others the deeply personal part of life that is death.

I am proud of all these women -placed in situations outside of their control, they have demonstrated strength and a steely resolve to do what needs to be done.  Neda and Farrah ultimately succumed to their battles, but their fight will continue to be held up as examples for other women.  How the other women’s stories play out remains to be seen, but they have already impressed me with their actions.  Based on my own experiences, I know that whatever path they choose won’t be easy - but it’s not impossible.  And they will prove that.