Founder’s Note: Entering My Penny Benjamin Era

The movie Top Gun was released in 1986, the same year I was born. As a young girl, I idolized the pilots in the film, often quoting Maverick - “I feel the need, the need for speed” - and telling my dad I was going to be a fighter pilot when I grew up. And with a grandfather who invented and patented electronic fuel injection systems for cars and set a drag racing record, is it really such a surprise?

You can imagine my delight when they announced the release of a sequel, and my chagrin when COVID pushed back this date. I was supposed to see it with my special someone at that time - you know, the one I talked about in my post on vision boards - but we broke up before the movie came out. As much as I wanted to see it, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The movie brought up too much emotion because it had been something we shared excitement for. I knew it would bring up memories of him.

It wasn’t until after my daughter was born that I finally watched it. I loved it, of course. I was struck, however, with how my relationship to the characters changed. Where before I had identified with the fighter pilots, now I saw myself as Penny Benjamin: she’s a strong, single mom to, ironically enough, an auburn-haired, blue-eyed girl just like my Evy (if her eyes stay their current color) and a playful and passionate business owner in sunny SoCal. It doesn’t hurt that my high school debate partner described me to a blind date as a brown-eyed Jennifer Connelly. I could even appreciate Penny’s “no cell phones on the bar” policy because don’t we need less cell time and more face time with real humans. Hey, if the shoe fits, right?

I am reminded that, as humans, we have the ability to evolve if we are willing to learn and grow as we face life’s challenges. That’s what struck me as I watched the film—even Maverick has evolved in many ways. The core of who he is remains, but there’s wisdom and maturity thrown into the mix that wasn’t there before.

My hope this month is that we all embrace this evolution in ourselves: that we challenge any biases we may hold and interrogate how we move through this world and what impact it has on others. What better month to do that than Pride Month?

Oh, and just in case you thought this post wasn’t about fashion, here’s to channeling my inner Penny with this wardrobe…

For Motorcycle Rides in the Sunset