Today is International Women's Day. The theme this year is Make It Happen.
Make it Happen:
When I found out I was pregnant with a daughter, simultaneously I thought publicly "Awesome!" and privately with Dan "Oh shit."
Because, having the knowledge that I was going to be responsible for caring and PROTECTING my girl child seemed liked the biggest undertaking ever. And it is. Being the protector of another human is serious work.
I worry about scraped knees and broken hearts. But really those aren't my big fears - because those teach and can be learned from. What keeps me up is the senseless violence and unmistakable cruelty that exists.
As I dove deeper and deeper down this rabbit hole today, trying and trying to rescue myself from the imagined ways in which my child can be hurt and maimed - both visibly and invisibly - I found myself visiting the blog I started when I found out I was pregnant. It's called Alaska Jane, Pint Sized.
I reread the entire blog.
My thoughts as a woman learning about pregnancy and motherhood right in front of me. Not knowing that I would become a woman who would help other women walk those same steps.
It was surreal.
Watching the video of my daughter starting to understand language as she helped me load the dryer and then when she twirled. And missing our friends terribly as I relived our great Halloween adventures dressing up as Frida, and her friend as Mork.
I'm have learned and am re-learning that my actions will leave their mark. Every step, however small, in the direction I wish to go is still progress. My silly little blog tracking my pregnancy and life as a new mom is proof - I cherish those posts. And I made that priceless record, one post at a time.
And as a mom, I parent one day at a time.
And as a business owner, I grow one client at a time.
And as someone impacting the world, well...I will do that too, one bit at a time.
International Woman's day is almost over. But this day is another in a long history of the event. And since it's inception many incredible things have changed that benefit women, and therefore all of human kind.
I have no idea how to make all the goals listed above come to reality other than how we, as women and supporters of women, have been doing it all along - one step at a time.
I wasn't going to finish this post today. I had written it off (ha!) as a small idea that didn't work out. My husband and I tucked in to finish the latest season of House of Cards, (which has it's own interesting ties to the goals of the day, but no spoilers here...), then I scrolled through my blog roll, and just before turning this damned computer off I found this:
Let the bucket of memory down into the well,
bright it up. Cool, cool minutes. No one
stirring, no plans. Just being there.
This is what the whole thing is about.
– William Stafford, from Just Thinking
And looking back on today, with my side steps and rabbit trails down through my memories, photos, and videos, this is what happened. I dipped my bucket into my memory well. The cool minutes washed over me. Hours went by. I was right there again, watching my daughter take some of her first steps.
And I realized again the words of Brene Brown, that the courage comes from being there. Doing the scary thing. Showing up. Being vulnerable. And I don't know anything that has made me feel more vulnerable, more alive, or more woman, that being a mother.
Nothing.
And because I am a mother, (step, step, step,) I am now a business owner. And wouldn't you know it, that is one of the goals of this year's International Woman's Day.
Each small step in the direction of your goal is not a misstep.
Authored by A Swift Doula.
Make it Happen:
- For greater awareness of women's equality
- For more women in senior leadership roles
- For equal recognition of women in the arts
- For growth of women owned businesses
- For increased financial independence of women
- For more women in science, engineering, and technology
- For fairer recognition in women in sport
When I found out I was pregnant with a daughter, simultaneously I thought publicly "Awesome!" and privately with Dan "Oh shit."
Because, having the knowledge that I was going to be responsible for caring and PROTECTING my girl child seemed liked the biggest undertaking ever. And it is. Being the protector of another human is serious work.
I worry about scraped knees and broken hearts. But really those aren't my big fears - because those teach and can be learned from. What keeps me up is the senseless violence and unmistakable cruelty that exists.
As I dove deeper and deeper down this rabbit hole today, trying and trying to rescue myself from the imagined ways in which my child can be hurt and maimed - both visibly and invisibly - I found myself visiting the blog I started when I found out I was pregnant. It's called Alaska Jane, Pint Sized.
I reread the entire blog.
My thoughts as a woman learning about pregnancy and motherhood right in front of me. Not knowing that I would become a woman who would help other women walk those same steps.
It was surreal.
Watching the video of my daughter starting to understand language as she helped me load the dryer and then when she twirled. And missing our friends terribly as I relived our great Halloween adventures dressing up as Frida, and her friend as Mork.
I'm have learned and am re-learning that my actions will leave their mark. Every step, however small, in the direction I wish to go is still progress. My silly little blog tracking my pregnancy and life as a new mom is proof - I cherish those posts. And I made that priceless record, one post at a time.
And as a mom, I parent one day at a time.
And as a business owner, I grow one client at a time.
And as someone impacting the world, well...I will do that too, one bit at a time.
International Woman's day is almost over. But this day is another in a long history of the event. And since it's inception many incredible things have changed that benefit women, and therefore all of human kind.
I have no idea how to make all the goals listed above come to reality other than how we, as women and supporters of women, have been doing it all along - one step at a time.
I wasn't going to finish this post today. I had written it off (ha!) as a small idea that didn't work out. My husband and I tucked in to finish the latest season of House of Cards, (which has it's own interesting ties to the goals of the day, but no spoilers here...), then I scrolled through my blog roll, and just before turning this damned computer off I found this:
Let the bucket of memory down into the well,
bright it up. Cool, cool minutes. No one
stirring, no plans. Just being there.
This is what the whole thing is about.
– William Stafford, from Just Thinking
And looking back on today, with my side steps and rabbit trails down through my memories, photos, and videos, this is what happened. I dipped my bucket into my memory well. The cool minutes washed over me. Hours went by. I was right there again, watching my daughter take some of her first steps.
And I realized again the words of Brene Brown, that the courage comes from being there. Doing the scary thing. Showing up. Being vulnerable. And I don't know anything that has made me feel more vulnerable, more alive, or more woman, that being a mother.
Nothing.
And because I am a mother, (step, step, step,) I am now a business owner. And wouldn't you know it, that is one of the goals of this year's International Woman's Day.
Each small step in the direction of your goal is not a misstep.
Authored by A Swift Doula.
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