On the Awesomeness of Women

Today is International Women's Day.

Last year I was going to write about how awesome the women I know are, and then they completely stepped it up a notch.

The women I know became even awesome-er.

It's true.   I'm in awe of them every day.

They fight battles that sometimes seem insurmountable.
They go into the trenches every day raising children with special needs, medical issues, and the toughest of all - teenagers.   They do it without blinking, without question, and without expectation of any kind of pat on the back.   Despite all the happy, smily faces we see on social media, parenting is a tough job and requires days and years of putting all your own needs on the back burner.   Most of the time the women I know just keep pushing forward, with no regrets, but maybe a few shots of vodka (or in my case - Fireball)

The women I know face health crises with grace, dignity, and a hell of a lot of fight.   I have a few close friends who have been handed some really shitty cards in the past year.   And, not a single one has given up.  The women I know move FORWARD.

The women I know take care of each other.   The women I know move FORWARD but sometimes it's with a friend at each side and one behind, ever so gently supporting each other, to go in the only direction that is an option.   Sometimes forward is messy, dirty and covered in thorny branches but you can't go over it, you can't go under it, you've got to go through it (name that children's song/story).

The women I know help each other without question.   I am pretty sure, with a quick text or two, I could have a full dinner delivered to my house if need be.   The same goes for having a stranded kid (or dog) picked up within a half hour, or even having a full dinner delivered to said stranded kid.  Done.

The women I know work really, really hard.  I do not work outside of the home but many, if not most,  of the women I know do.  These women work full time jobs and then come home to another full time job.  They cook, clean and play the role of mother, wife and sometimes care-taking daughter of aging parents.   They feed busy, hungry families, help with homework, drive kids all over the place and then stay up late doing things like laundry and cleaning the kitchen, and they call the last two items "me time".  And yes, before the men I know get angry, I am well aware that men do these things as well.  Yay men!  (But, remember guys, today is International Women's Day)

The truth is the women I know are not only awesome but we are so very fortunate to be born where we were born.

There are many, many women in this world who are not so lucky.

They have children with special needs, medical issues, and, yes, teenagers.    But, they don't have the resources needed to help them.
They have disease with no medicine.
Some of them are alone, and have no support from friends or family.
They don't have a network of people at their fingertips and they might not have enough food to feed all the people in their household.
There is no such thing as "me" time.

I am so sorry.

 I didn't intend for the blog to end like this.   I selfishly started writing this thinking solely of all the awesome women I know. But then somehow, all these women I don't know, who are just as awesome, but not quite as lucky, came uninvited into my consciousness and asked to be remembered today.

They want to be remembered while we wear our red outfits and our adorable pink pussyhats and choose, yes CHOOSE, not to shop today.  Because we know we can shop tomorrow.

Today is International Women's Day and we should keep fighting for everything we are fighting for, but let's all keep the women we don't know, who aren't as lucky, and don't have the privilege of protesting anything,  in our collective consciousnesses too!

Because whether we know each other or not, we are ALL awesome!

Happy International Women's Day!