As I prepare this evening to purposefully rise tomorrow morning and go march with women in Philadelphia, I am aware that there are friends and loved ones in my life who do not agree with at least one or more of the tenets espoused by the movement. You are my friends and you are my loved ones. We need each other, you and I. I am not going to Philadelphia to support factions. Solving conundrums are for debates yet to come with cooler heads and, I hope, lots more women. I am going to Philadelphia to march in solidarity with half the world's population because to paraphrase Thomas Jefferson, I hold these truths to be self-evident; that all women are created equal. Men, it is self-evident, you are created equal to women.
It is impossible to stand by with two good legs and not march this year. While we are at it, forge ahead, my sisterhood, for sexual respect, for justice, for truth, and don't forget--equal pay for equal work. Support women's leadership in every public institution, every corporation, everywhere--top to bottom--while you're at it.
I've been hearing that so many are disillusioned with politics--that government is not working. Have you heard that, too? Well, the blood has been sucked out of that very honorable profession. Remember, Lincoln was a politician--so was Churchill. It's time to pump our governance full of thousands of informed, dedicated, experienced, positive women who are well-versed in how to work with others, excluding no one. Government is not bad. It's a framework. Plain and simple, it's as good or bad as the people who are in governing roles.
It's young people and especially women in all parts of local, county, state, federal governance, and all parts of commerce, any and all leadership, who will make this a better world for everybody. I am convinced that when we advance to at least a third of legislative and leadership roles filled, top to bottom, by women, there will be a tipping point where our entire culture begins a transformation for the betterment of all citizens--young, old; rich, poor; sick, healthy; one color, or another color; one gender, or another; one faith, or another faith; immigrant, or fifth generation, or Native American. Liberty and Justice for All.
We will do this!
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Now it's Saturday evening.
It is time to catch up after an electric day in Philly. Transformation was happening on the streets of Philadelphia. Again. Those leaders that formed our nation out of a bunch of colonies must be smiling--Ben up there atop City Hall, too. I admired the exuberance of peaceful protest, and I admired the very large number of men marching right along with the women.
It was the energy of it that was most striking. I couldn't come close to capturing it all. You are welcome to take what you want and leave the rest.
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| Starting off at Lansdale's SEPTA Regional Rail Station. |
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| After about three more stops the entire train was filled up. |
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| Walking to the start at Logan Square. |
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| This one was a favorite. |
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| Marching. |
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| And it ended up here at the base of the Museum of Art steps. I can hear the Rocky music now. |
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But life is not entirely about marching, though social interaction is part and parcel of who we are. Day-to-day living is the big story.
To catch up with some of my story...
Shoutout to Jeanenne: Happy Birthday! Earlier this week in Missouri, Sandy sent along a picture of the two of them enjoying a birthday lunch together...
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| Enjoying the dessert together, that is. Yum. |
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| For a king sized bed, no less. |
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| From a photo of Aidan playing the cello a couple summers ago. |
I found a couple of snowy day remembrances I'd forgotten about. From the last snow...
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| Peter Cottontail was here. |
And, the snow before that I was amazed by the cul de sac snow clearance...man and machine...
As you know, I am ever amazed by the geese around here. This time they were gleaning in a field. I stopped the car for a few seconds...
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