When I was in the 4th grade, Mrs. Ray – one of my very favorite teachers – asked us all what businesses our families were in.
I knew the answer.
(I liked knowing the answers!)
My dad was in sales. And moving!
My mother’s family were in businesses ranging from car repair to railroads to meat processing.
My father’s family were farmers.
Now I know more! Literally thousands of years worth of more. And, as you might imagine, the list is long.
So, as I’m the one telling this story, I get to decide which bits matter most in this moment.
From farmers to kings and queens… from teachers and preachers and soldiers… from moms and aunts and grammies without number… they persevered.
Many of them against huge odds.
Many of them standing up for the voices of women and girls. For the choices of women and girls.
Some of them in times when arranged marriages and witch hangings were far too popular.
I’ve been busy learning their stories.
And trying to figure out how to live the best parts of their legacy in this world, now.
I spent a good bit of my energy on Tuesday in circle with women asking similar questions which pretty much boiled down to how we feel called to matter in this moment.
It’s not easy.
Many of us learned that it didn’t even feel safe to try.
And many of us have noticed that believing we can’t make a difference is not working.
So, let’s experiment with believing that we can!
Let’s start right where we are. In the ways we know best.
For me, that means hope.
Rescue a pet. Share tools of self-discovery and expression. Be a Scout leader. Plant pollinator friendly gardens. Listen to children. Take them seriously.
Commit to human rights. All the rights. For all the people.
Find the place where you can be you.
And put something somewhere in your space that will remind you – in the hard moments – of what you intend at your very best.
Even if it’s just a plain old index card with your secret reminder scrawled on it. I have a zillion of those!
And…
It’s not easy. And it matters.
Which seems, when I get right down to it, like that might just be the family business!
At least that’s the way I’m choosing – eyes wide open – to tell the story!
What story will you live? And tell???
I really want to know!
You can leave a comment, below, or email me at suesvoice@gmail.com
ps… ready for more? Or ready to be ready??? Let’s chat! 45 min. as my gift! Sneak peek at what’s coming, and what’s already possible!
pps… the lovely beings at the top are my Legend paintings, numbers 1, 2, and 4. They’re all bravely lined up and ready to be in an upcoming Musea® online show. Stay tuned!