Living in a 1913 heritage home has taught me a lot about acceptance.
The Humble Bungalow is over 100 years old
full of flaws and imperfections
which
we could amend and improve
we have not.
One thing I regret in our efforts to improve the kitchen
is that the floor re finishers sanded
the dipped worn area in front of the kitchen sink
this is where several generations of women stood doing dishes...
I specifically asked them to leave it and work around it
but that afternoon many years ago
I came home from work only to discover a level freshly sanded floor
and felt sad...
I remember brewing a pot of tea and staring at that spot.
I may have even wept...I cannot say for sure, as it was so long ago.
I had to accept that change but I have never forgotten that worn out spot.
where bone weary women would have stood
looking out the same window
at the mighty oaks
growing and stately standing
on the rocks
above The Humble Bungalow.
Our home has a history of women who were widowed
were the major bread earners and were responsible
to tend to the children and keep the home fires burning.
Wearing many hats must have been a challenge back in the 1930's and 40's...
perhaps even in the 1950's
when many women "stayed at home"
life and times were simpler.
Staying at home was not a "free ride"...
the days were filled with hard work.
Women
mothers, grandmothers, daughters
whose job it was to keep the homes running
the family needed to be fed
the soiled clothes washed
the house cleaned
the garden planted and tilled.
Today
I am thinking about, and honouring,
these women
who worked diligently and toiled even when fatigued
the same women who raised and nurtured the children
in this home
over a hundred years before us...
Women have influenced society
while tending their homes and nurturing their children
taken a stand against and fought injustices
spoken out
marched when there were issues that they felt strongly about
wrote letters
fund raised
baked
got dressed up
put lipstick on
smiled in the face of adversity
and
made our world
a better place.
Any time women come together with a collective intention, it's a powerful thing. Whether it's sitting down making a quilt, in a kitchen preparing a meal, in a club reading the same book, or around the table playing cards, or planning a birthday party, when women come together with a collective intention, magic happens.
~ Phylicia Rashad ~
In the light of recent political changes
women are rising up again...
we have a voice
let us unite and not be silent
nor complacent
harness the collective power
speak up and if need be, rally
if only for
the future of our children and grandchildren
consider the possibilities
the risks
assess
and
act.
I raise up my voice—not so I can shout,
but so that those without a voice can be heard...
we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.
~ Malala Yousafzai ~
I am not sure what will happen next...
We will do whatever needs to be done.
In the year of the rooster...
expect change
Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning of chicken carries is exorcising evil spirits.
As you know my blog is not political...
these are just a few personal thoughts and observations
that have been percolating
and
I felt the need to write them down...
Please be kind and respect others...
~ Be Well and Be Kind ~
