“Carole, you remind me so much of my Grandma” enthused one of my college classmates a few years ago. She was 18 and I was, well (ahem), older. It was a ‘moment’ you could say. While I was delighted to be considered as wonderful as this young woman’s Grandma, I’m not sure I had wanted to arrive at that point…. yet.
She was the youngest member of our class and I was the eldest. But she bridged the gap nicely with her warm and loving description of her beloved Grandma. I was impressed with this young woman. She lost her Dad eight months prior to this comment, too young, too soon. I was in awe of her wisdom for one so young. (and envious of her young remember-everything brain)
Our life journeys are opportunities for a mixed bag of experiences. It takes courage to face challenge and to not throw in the towel. I have worked with strong women for a long time and some of these women have faced unbelievable obstacles.
I am speaking of women who have been abused in any way, women who work with women who have been abused, women with disabilities, women who have overcome a life threatening disease and the list could go on and on.
Did you know that one in seven Canadian women (2.4 million) live in poverty?
As a Feminist, I believe that we all should be treated equally and with respect, regardless of our gender (because women have made some progress), our race or our place in the world. I am apparently a second wave feminist. (first wave were the Suffragettes)
According to the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (something that would not have existed had it not been for us second wavers) there is a third wave of feminists. According to CRIAW, as ‘second wavers’ we didn’t do the awareness thing right and apparently they have just discovered that it is much more complicated than even they realized. Eureka!
I have sometimes been a loud-mouthed-social activist and sometimes low-key-social activist in my life. Like many people, I find it difficult to accept social injustice of any type, anywhere in the world toward anyone for any reason. You can imagine my frustration when I’ve found myself in situations in life where equality is professed, but attitudes do not reflect this. I want to stand on the rooftops and shout about the irony of it to anyone who will listen.
We all experience the mismatch of words to action in our lives. It seems to have become the norm in the past decade or two. Bureaucratic hierarchies are springing up everywhere and we are almost creating mini-governments in business. We are so busy worrying about the litigiousness of our decisions that it stifles the connection between people. It stops communication in its tracks, and it strips us of our individual uniqueness.
So, I can’t help but wonder what our world will be like for my young friend when she is my age. She has had her first major experience of change with the loss of her Dad.
Constant change has become normal in our world. Youth knows nothing else. This could be a good thing. It could be their preparation for demanding that the world change to be globally more gentle and inclusive of everything and everyone who shares this earth. I’d like to think so.
Vanity aside, I’m honoured to be a reminder of my young friends Grandma. She influenced a future change-maker.