Today is designated as International Women’s Day 2022.
With a deep breath and a good dose of hope, I decided to leap over the obvious issue of there being just one day for recognizing the women of the world, and let my archetypal Intentional Guide Grandmother take over this blog.
She is, apparently, in a past – present – future sort of mood.
First, the beginnings of a poem I wrote during the 2016 US election cycle.
Grandmothers Lament
All over the world, children are crying.
Bleeding children in Syria.
Hurricane victims in Haiti.
Poisoned children in Michigan and the Dakotas and too many places to count.
All over the world, children are crying.
Children robbed of their families by gun violence.
Children robbed of their futures by disease.
Children robbed of their health by toxins everywhere.
All over the world, children are crying.
How do we shut out their cries?
How do we not act?
Are we heartless?
All over the world, children are crying.
We who do care are helpless in many ways.
Rendered voiceless by the power of vested self interest.
The power of greed.
All over the world, children are crying.
Hungry children.
Homeless children.
Abused, molested, victimized children.
All over the world, children are crying.
It is not our own greed that renders us helpless.
At least not mostly.
And yet we shout, silently, in the face of those who love power.
And a brief time out for the news break we cannot ignore in this moment… on this day when many of the world’s women are fleeing their homes with children and elders in the face of yet more lunacy…
All over the world, children are crying.
While the mighty grow rich waging war.
While the mighty grow rich selling power.
While the mighty grow rich killing the Earth.
All over the world, children are crying.
Let us take our fingers out of our ears.
Let us open our eyes in the light of day.
Let us shout until we cannot be ignored.
All over the world, children are crying.
Let us dare to hear.
Let us dare to hope.
Let us dare to act.
Amen. Amen. Selah.
Are you up for the dare?
It’s likely to take some tools. And a medicine basket.
It’s likely to take getting in touch with YOUR way of hoping and acting in the world.
So, tool number one… The Intentional Grandmothers Archeytype Quiz!
If you haven’t taken it yet, now is a great time. It’s free. It’s fun. It’s important.
If you have taken it, you might want to take it again! (The whole context thing might have shifted your perspective…)
And, no, you don’t have to be an actual Grandmother to take the quiz. Aunties, Scout leaders, teachers, even very brave Grandfathers… if you care, you’re welcome!
ps… the lovely lady, above, insisted on joining the party today, even though she dropped in recently. With her quilt piece that reads, “In the image of the Divine, I create,” I could hardly say no!
pss… intrigued by Medicine Basket??? Stay tuned. Journey #2 is starting soon!