Heroes

What is it about inspirational songs and such that can just get to you? A year ago I sang in a choir that was part of a performance by Ann Reed. If you are unfamiliar with her she is, I suppose you would say, a folk singer. She hails from MN. I don't want to say her music is only for lesbians because it isn't, but that is more or less how she got started. But she has gone on from there. Now, her music speaks to all. Back, I don't know when, she wrote a song called "Heroes". I encourage you to take a listen. It is absolutely wonderful. She tells of how after the song came out, teachers, young girls, classes as a whole would write her to tell her the impact the song had on them. It is so incredibly powerful. All the "Heroes" are women.
She gave this performance again this past weekend. I could not sing this time so enjoyed it from the audience. She is not alone in this presentation. She has 4 incredibly gifted women who sing as well, a bass player and a pianist. The choir enters mainly at the end and sings some songs that celebrate women. Thru speaking and song she/they tell the stories of women. The whole premise of the performance is to make us stop and look and listen to stories about these heroes. A hero is someone who fights for a cause. These heroes all happen to be women. Take a look at the list of heroes and think about it. These are all women that did something that affected history, changed history,made history.
At the beginning of the show she asked about heroes we might have now or had. The only woman that still appears regularly on any list is Eleanor Roosevelt. The women on her heroes list are amazing. At one time I wanted to read about them all. Maybe I should put that on my bucket list, to read at least one book about each of them.
I really can't say why hearing this song affects me so. I think mainly I am just so in awe of what can be done and the fortitude that these women had at their particular time in history. They worked with people, mainly men, that despised them or gave them no credit at all. They worked against incredible odds, most of them.
What is it that gives some people the vision and the drive to persevere when the odds are so bad?What helps them keep their head up and march on knowing that what they are pursuing is the right thing to do? Are there women out there doing it today? Not the Lindsey Lohans or the Taylor Swifts. Do we have a Barbara Jordan or a Shirley Chisholm? Who can the young ladies, the women of the future look up to and say "Yes I can"? Sarah Palin, Michelle Bachman?? I think not. Maybe Hilary Clinton, Barbara Boxer maybe. Even I, at 60, can't pull any to the front of my brain. Where are the women who aren't stars, athletes, or hookers?
They say that the political climate has become very woman unfriendly. I would have to agree. As women we have to take care of ourselves but we also have to care for the young women who are our future. We have to let them know that "I can do that thing which I think I can not do..."
It's not about beauty and looks, a tiara or needing a man to survive. That seems to be the focus in today's society. These young ladies must work to gain confidence and an inherent sense of self worth.
I'd like to see a female president before the end of my lifetime. At the rate we're going, we probably won't have any women in any party with authority. But we must! In 8 years, 2020, we mark 100 yrs of women having the right to vote. There are heroes out there. We must look for them and when found, support them in any way possible. Take the time to listen to this wonderful song and look for your heroes. WL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLgooJDqqHs

Where Have You Been?

That is indeed what I often wonder or at least I'm sure some have thought since I was at one time gung-ho about this blog. And then I let it go or rather dwindle.I've tried, or have I? There are so many times when I've thought, now is the time, write it down. And I haven't. Why not start 2012 with a goal to keep this up-to-date and yet here it is, Feb.1st and finally I'm at it.Life is not about excuses is it? It's just about getting it started, working on and completing.
Looking back on my first full year of retirement I must admit that I struggled. I struggled with the what do I do now? Do I have to do anything now? What about my friends, they are still working, I have no connection. Do I really matter? I know, it was a real "pity party" wasn't it. Not always spoken but that's what it was like inside. I struggled with me, I struggled with my partner, I struggled with the change in income.Man I really could go on and on about me,me,me!
I came out of it thank goodness. I am comfortable with where I'm at and really, where we're at. I may have said this in previous posts, what few there are, that the biggest change for me was the change in income. While our finances allowed for an early retirement, it did not mean that the money saved and avaiable could nor should be used right away. It has to last for a long time. I'm not going to belabor this point but it did give me a slap in the face and make me look at what is important now and what I/we want to do in the future. So while I thought we'd go on all these great trips and see things....the house still has to be paid for, cared for. We still have to eat and we have a number of animals to care for. We support our church, our town, our habits. Well, you get the picture.
So then, where am I at? I enrolled in the U of Minn. Master Gardner class and am in the process of taking classes now. Talk about venturing into something different. Kind of I suppose, but not really, since we do live in the woods and I do have plants about. I thought this would be an opportunity to learn more and then teach others. Well let me tell you. I may be learning but it is a slooooooow process. I am at this point completely overwhelmed. I'm hoping to meet my mentor and learn how it all works in about a week. We'll learn more as time goes on.
The pastors at my church asked me about Parish Nursing. I had often thought about this so it's not like it scared me. It's just been one of those things that I've thought of and then let it go til the next time it runs through my mind. Now I've been asked to consider it. I am doing that and will likely take a course the end of March to help me further develop the plan. Now that again, that would be an area out of my comfort zone, but then again, an opportunity for growth.
So you see, I am on the road to recovery if you will. Updates on the family. Bob, the cat died in Dec. We added a one-eyed cat named Jack. Baby Prince has been accepted into the local branch of Americorps and will be starting that job in Feb. He will be doing outside work in parks and woods and whatever here in SE Mn and possibly neighboring states. It runs for 10mo. He is very excited, and so are we, for him. He is still dating Ms A. We love her dearly and we have seen so much growth in both of them. I/we are very proud of BP. A young man with still no life career plans but lots of ideas and skills and he is so funny and well...what can I say? We'll see how it plays out.
Wow, once back, it all pours out. I really, really hope to stay at it. Hang in there my friends or whoever you may be. We shall see! WL