Hello friends,
I thought I would do something new each Sunday and begin a conversation on one topic. There's a video to watch or you can simply read the blog post and I would love for any and all to get involved in the conversation in the comments below.
I thought I would begin the conversation on the topic of inspiring woman. I'm led there because every time I return from a trip I get asked the same question, “did you meet someone?” As a single person and a female in my late twenties, this kind of question is to be expected. It seems that no matter how far women have come, we still have a long way to go before we are paid the same as men and before society sees that we shouldn’t have to get married or have kids because of a ‘certain’ age, the ‘certain’ age being much younger then men (my grandmother asking me when I was having kids at the age of sixteen was one of those times, despite the fact my male cousin is six years older).
Back to that question, “did you meet someone?” My go to answer has become, “yes, lots of people, but mostly inspiring women.” Whilst it makes for an easy response, somehow each trip finds me in the presence of women who live their lives with such integrity and passion that it is inspiring. These women create more zest for my own interests and the need to live my life with as much integrity as I possibly can.
I cannot explain how this isn’t the case with the many men I meet, maybe it’s because as women we have had to fight for our place in this world. We were raised to ask for things with words like ‘just’ before the request. We were raised to settle for less for far too often. We were raised with the importance of uttering ‘sorry’ more than actually necessary.
This example of saying sorry too often is perfectly illustrated in the fact my mother’s friends made her aware of how often she apologized for needless things. This was a feature I took pride in emulating by my teens, yet why should a woman apologize for a bad takeout pizza, or when a coworker is rude or even when it’s raining out? What power do we have over a takeout company’s quality of product? What could we do to change how a coworker chooses to behave? Or what level of magic do we have over the weather who has a mind stronger than any human on earth?
Paddleboarders, Minnesota/Street performer, New York/Friend on our hike, New Zealand
This trait became something I realized was not something worth emulating. Why should women continue apologizing or saying ‘just’ when asking for something a man wouldn’t consider lowering himself to request. Men may lead this world and make the decisions, but underneath women are changing this globe with each step or rather leap. For every man I meet who may make an impact, there are another two women who ripple through my own life with their enthusiasm, goals and passions.
Unfortunately, there are too many countries in this world where women are told their mind is not their own, that their bodies belong to someone else to use and misuse and that they can be discarded as easily as they have been chosen.
Mother and children, Richmond, England/Carpet Weaver, Istanbul, Turkey/Free spirit, Prospect Park, New York
To the women in Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, Massachusetts, Ireland and the world over setting their feet in the world with a strength that awes, keep fighting. Our call for rights for our gender the world over should only get louder, because we are inspiring each other through our convictions, our actions, our humor and strength in spite of the people we have already faced and fought with those very traits.
Continue inspiring by being yourself, remember your mind, your strength are worth more than any possession you could ever own. You’ll find other inspiring women, mothers, lawyer, teachers, artists who are in this boat alongside you and they are fighting with the same strength and conviction of your worth.
Teaching fishing, New York/Enjoying the moment, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Over to you, have you found the same incredible strength in women the world over? Who has made you more determined to have integrity to yourself? Which women in your life have helped you fight for your worth?
Have a grand Sunday friends.
Confident youths, New York/Quiet moment, London/Chatter and laughter, London
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