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Normally I have chosen my Blog topic early in the week and by Wednesday it is usually written and ready to go. This week nothing was coming to mind. It was Wednesday evening, and I was exchanging texts with a wonderful young woman, mother, artist, business owner and friend. She was sharing her process over the events of the last week or so…I had also been reflecting on those same events and I have never written my blog about anything political. I am still not doing that.
I am, however, wanting to write about hope- about faith – about knowing that as my hero Albert said, “the universe is a friendly place.” I was a young professional in the first decade of Roe vs Wade. I remember the feeling of euphoria at the constant forward movement for women and women’s rights. I had a great job in corporate America, I was living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Gloria Steinem (young people if you don’t know who she was, look her up). was speaking out for the empowerment of women and their choices to be anything, go anywhere. I was buying my first home without benefit of husband or co-signer. My sister, who passed earlier this year, could not get a mortgage when she was a young professional. All proof I thought of the changing times of my good fortune to be alive in these times. I believed firmly, and protested strongly, for the power of women to make their own decisions and forge new roads of accomplishment for every woman of any color, race or ethnicity. I had only disdain for the countries that kept oppression in place thinking I lived in a place where that could never happen again. (After all we could now VOTE!)
I have another wonderful woman friend who lives in Canada who is also a business owner, a writer and a spiritual teacher. I also exchanged communication with her this week. She said to me in light of current events; that I lived in a country where my government didn’t like many of its citizens and didn’t protect them (us) from antiquated thinking and control. President Trudeau spoke out to his country and promised them there would be no such change in Canada. Her comment fell hard on me – and as I reflected, I realized it appears to be true and I was feeling the effects of that while trying to deny it was true at the same time.
So then, what is there to hope for – what is there to have faith in – This is not about the rightness or wrongness of Roe vs Wade and the implications. This is not about when life begins, or high or low moral ground. This is about the faith I have in the wisdom inside each person if they will pay attention. Faith in the strength and courage of the women who forged those new roads – like Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Geraldine Ferraro. Faith that people do the best they can with what they know – and believe; and the true knowledge that change is happening and will continue no matter how we try to control it..or prevent it. I believe there is no turning back and there will be a way through no way even if we cannot see it at this moment.
That same young friend that provoked this blog has a three-year-old daughter. She is adorable, bright, funny and precocious. I have faith that the country she will live in will give her true freedom and power to be everything she wants to be – My protest days may be behind me – but the days of strength and hope are not – the days of wisdom to listen and be part of the everevolving new that is emerging in this same lifetime I have been privileged to live – yes that is still present and always will be. As another great woman once said, “this too shall pass”. (Eleanor Roosevelt)
Thank you, Nicole, for the inspiration and Fiona for the wisdom! You will bring in the new – of that, I am sure!
