International Women’s Day

Today is International Women’s Day. I don’t know if there are any men quietly thinking ‘they don’t deserve a special day” but I hope not. Here’s why:

Females are half of the world’s population (maybe a bit more) and throughout history they have been held back, or kept in a box, and around the world still today women are still dealing with men who stop them from reaching their full potential. It’s getting better for women in some countries, including America, but it’s only through pushing for equality, for being brave, by some strong women not afraid to put themselves out there. Women who are bold. Women speaking out. Women who care about other women.

As I have grown older, and because I am a mother of two women, I have felt the responsibility of using myself to better the lives of women. Young females who are starting out need freedom and they deserve the right to be whoever they choose to be. Young mothers are busy raising children, and young business women are starting careers, and some are doing both at the same time. So, when you finally reach a certain age, like me, when those parts of living life are behind you, then it becomes important to ‘pay it back’ or as Tim sings “when you get where you are going, don’t forget to turn back around and help the next one in line.”

We tend to focus on our small world, and that’s okay. We can make a difference to women in our families, and in our neighborhoods. Women do so much good!! Women can give advice to each other, support one another, encourage, accept, and even push them when needed. But, today as we think of ALL the women of the world (it is international womens day after all), we can provide a hand financially, or give to them through charitable work, and we can voice concerns across country lines and borders, and we can share our love. Women are so much better than men in uniting and giving back. Right? Women can be competitive, but still support each other.

So, today is a day to stop, pause, and think about women – those who do ALL the amazing things they do around the world – and who are selfless in their nourishing, in feeding others, in working towards equality, in lifting up, and in believing in themselves and others. Do men feel the same way about their gender? I think not. Women are so blessed to have the genetic makeup that they do, and to own the qualities unique to women kind. (Wait – don’t read that wrong. I’m all for ANY and ALL women: straight, lesbian, soft, butch, poor, wealthy, black, white, red, yellow, rural, urban, short, tall, etc.)

Today we celebrate ALL women everywhere. All kinds. All places. All deserving. All equal.