In the early 1980’s I used to work for the YWCA in Richmond, VA, my initiation into the women’s movement and learning to take a stand on women’s rights. I worked in the Women’s Advocacy Program that provided services for domestic violence and sexual assault victims. My own awakening began as I dipped my toe into the reality that women made only 59 cents to every dollar a man made and 1 out of 4 women were victims of domestic violence. One of my most memorable experiences was marching on the capital for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment which was being introduced at that time. Fast forward almost 40 years later, I’m still advocating, but feeling discouraged. Not until the Women’s March this past weekend have I felt such hope that change is coming.
Participating in the march along with my adult pregnant daughter, my unborn grandchild and thousands of like minded folks in D.C. has revivified my spirit. My anguish has been so profound lately around the recent election, often wondering where is the outrage towards what is happening to us as a species and what we are doing to our planet. Watching the outpouring of support from around the world brings tears to my eyes and touches my spirit so deeply. I know evolution happens slowly and can take millions of years but it feels as if I am living it at this moment. As Eckart Tolle says In A New Earth,when comparing the evolution of flowers to the flowering of human consciousness, when the conditions were favorable, ‘a widespread flowering occurred’. When ‘a critical threshold was reached’…suddenly there would have been an explosion of color and scent all over the planet’ (2005, pg 1).
We were an ‘explosion of scent and color’ at the March and are in a wave of evolution. Now more than ever we need a collective call to action. I am writing to document this momentous occasion in our history and my own. Hopefully this is the beginning of a global movement to remember our interconnection to one another and the earth, our home. That how we are in relationship to one another and the planet is more important than how much stuff we can accumulate and turning the other way from injustice. Sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option. Even if you can’t walk, make some phone calls to your local & state officials. Your voice is powerful. Make conscious choices in your purchases and who you vote for. Here are a few resources to get you started. These offerings were shared by Molly Maher of Stratejoy: “Knowledge precedes action. When you know better, you do better.”
https://www.indivisibleguide.com/
https://www.mycivicworkout.com/
We still have work to do, but our tasks do not feel so heavy when shared. This post will be continued but for now I need to go make some phone calls.