Are you every woman?

“Strength has no gender.”

“Our history is our strength.”

“Writing women back into history.”

“Know your history, know your power.”

A few reminders that March is Women’s History Month.  I encourage you to celebrate today and everyday women everywhere for their strength and resilience and legacies.

Women’s History Month had its origins as a national celebration in 1981 when Congress passed Pub. L. 97-28 which authorized and requested the President to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.”  In 1987 after being petitioned by the National Women’s History Project, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9 which designated the month of March 1987 as “Women’s History Month.”  [1]

And we women appreciate the recognition we have earned. Celebration is easy, however being every woman is not.

Can we talk?

I have been doing a lot of thinking about us women.  We share so many commonalities across cultures and generations in the many different roles we are cast to play …mother, sister, life-partner, friend, and daughter and of course a source of inspiration. But sometimes our scripts are complicated and hard to learn. Sometimes we are also tasked to perform difficult scenes to include depression, disease, abortion, divorce, the death of a loved one and sick children. And when we do, and when it’s hard, we try anyway. Yet we don’t feel self-pity as much as we feel fear and deep grief. And we keep on keeping on. Now here’s where I pause and wonder what the soundtrack of the play will sound like if we don’t find time to treat ourselves like someone we love.

The pressures of our multiple and sometimes conflicting roles have us ignoring what is best for us.  We often create a persona of “Superwoman” in order to survive. When we miss the mark, we often lose perspective and blame ourselves. We are unable to separate ourselves from our circumstances. As a result, the purpose for which we were created is compromised.

When our negative circumstances make us feel powerless, the “me” we see in the mirror shouts “not enough”, “unworthy”, “tired” and “isolated”. We feel ashamed that we are not living a happily ever after life when all our accomplishments and the world says we should. We suffer in silence. At some point, we give in to our humanness and declare in whatever fashion works for us “I’m done!”

But we don’t have to be done! With the help of my faith in God, his grace and mercy and those who loved me through the scary roles, I have survived. And I can say without a shadow of a doubt that your deliverance is possible as well. So together we can “Go. Do. Be.”  “Explore. Express. Expand.”

[1] http://womenshistorymonth.gov/about.htm

    Until next time, remember,

• You are not alone.

• You are not your circumstances.

• You have everything within you to live a purpose-filled life.