This has to be my favorite quote. It speaks to me, and I hope speaks to your life as well.
A couple of years ago, I decided to make a career change. Life being what it is, the change didn’t work out. While I enjoy teaching, I realized I don’t like teaching kids. And so, I opted to return to my previous career, albeit with a a different company. After a journey through the pandemic, I am one of the lucky few who managed to improve my lot – not only have I received the vaccine, I find myself in on the precipice of a more secure financial future. But the fact is, I never really worried about the future. You see, once upon a time I lost my father and so I know what real pain and fear look like.
And the great news – she got a really great scholarship from the leading scholarship provider for women in the country! How awesome is that?!
I mean, it’s fantastic that there is an organization that provides $42,000,000 in educational scholarships to women every year! As John Oliver says, “it’s unbelievable!”
I wish I were a little more like John Oliver – because it was so unbelievable that he didn’t believe a word of it, and you shouldn’t either. I didn’t know about the Miss America scholarships before I watched this video, and I cannot recommend strongly enough that you watch it too. You will laugh from the humor and the absurdity that he uncovers in this extremely insightful video.
I have known some amazing and strong women in life. I have known some incredibly intelligent women as well.
Women are not the enemy; women are not inferior to men; women are not sex objects. In keeping with the “scary” theme of October, the mentality that women are are these things should really give you a fright. This is an entirely and completely asinine mentality.
Women are the equal of men. They deserve to be treated by society in a manner fitting to who they are. I’m not saying anything earth-shattering: we all know this to be true. The United States is can be a great place to live, but we often are blinded by this. We often think that we are perfect because our society has been successful, and that there is no way we could possibly improve. This is a frightening misconception; it’s a nightmare from which we need to awaken. The United States is not a utopia.
We won’t erase sexism overnight, just as we won’t erase racism, or religious persecution overnight. What we can do, however, is to commit to improving ourselves, and by extension we can improve our culture. This can be done. As long as you keep placing one foot in front of the other, and as long as you continue the walk down this path. We should hope (and expect) to leave our children and grandchildren a more beautiful culture.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear your experiences, both positive and negative. Let’s talk about the issues we face, for by facing them we can overcome them.
As summer draws to a close, and autumn hides just below the horizon, I am reflective. This has been an interesting summer.
I’ve reconnected with a long lost friend, though she lives hours and hours away;
I’ve lost 12 pounds and my issues sleeping are mostly behind me as a result;
Riley has played, like she does;
I’ve taken my first real vacation in over 2 years – two weeks in Las Vegas and San Diego;
I’ve watched as the Braves gave up the season to the Nationals;
I’ve enjoyed the company of good friends;
I’ve re-read through my writing, and find myself wanting to write more;
And I’ve avoided the heat like the plague, which is a way of life in the heart of Texas.
We continue to live with the idea that the ending of the summer is the beginning of of the end, with rebirth in the spring waiting as the next great adventure. I disagree.
The summer is a time of life, that is true, but it is also a time of heat. It is a time of being a recluse, at least for me. This happens every year for me – once the heat becomes unbearable, I draw the curtains, curl up on the couch, read, and withdraw into myself. This is as true this year as any – it’s as true as the changing of the seasons as they are one and the same for me.
My Mustang is named Summer’s Shadow. She told me this name in confidence but I feel it is acceptable to share with you as well. She chose this name for herself, as a way to remind herself, and me by extension, that there is always something great to come. A shadow is not just a shadow – it can be the future. The shadow can be relief- when we can emerge from our caves after the heat has passed. The shadow can be the future – when we awaken and watch the leaves change colors.
the dingo was here 