How are you fulfilling your creative dream? What does your deepest creative longing look like?
Honoring Women of Courage, Character & Creativity!
There is often heartache in the discrepancy between the mythic journey we have set for ourselves and the real life journey we experience in waking reality.
As I reflect on the work women have done to make this world a better place, it is clear to me that to achieve they must always rely on intuition and creativity. When we think about women in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Kenya we recognize the creative mindset that these members of our tribe must take to their work every-day for they are forging ahead in spite of dangerous circumstances and limited resources. This moment in the year, Women’s History Month, is but a brief pause to stop and acknowledge their contribution. It is a worthwhile opportunity to think about the creative pilgrimage that we all have embarked on. And I know that I too, must consider the manner in which I am making this journey. When I think of all the things that beg for my attention, the choices I must constantly make, and the tender tugging at my heartstrings that hints at that which I was called to do, I have to ask myself: How are you following your heart’s desire and creative dreams? What will you do to lessen the potential for heart break?
Canada 2010
There is often heartache in the discrepancy between the mythic journey we have set for ourselves and the real life journey we experience in waking reality. When we struggle to find balance and are not able to find solace in our experiential reality, then the journey of our international sisters might offer a source of strength to nourish us. How does one remain inspired in spite of abject poverty? How does one remain hopeful when education is denied women? How does one gather strength when there is no drinking water to quench the thirst of the community? These women’s stories inspire me and are a reservoir from which I constantly drink. These are the stories that hold me accountable to my own success as I journey. They provide a steadying hand in keeping me purposeful on the pilgrimage for as I face them in quiet moments of reflection there is no room for hypocrisy; they provide a naked truth that brooks no equivocation. And I must at least be honest with myself. The story is the journey and the journey is the story.
Walking the Boardwalk, Hollywood, Florida 2014
Circle of Friends, International 
My dear friend and mentor: it took me awhile to get here, and here I am.
First, I’d like to give thanks for your friendship and second for your patience. The quality of my life has definitely improved because of the friendships I have made, and you are most definitely in the center of my circle.
I really enjoyed this post. For women’s history month I’d like to mention my great aunt Onaney, my paternal grandfather’s sister. Much like yourself, my aunt Ona added so much to my life when I was a little girl. I’d see her during summer vacations and she almost single handedly embodied what “summer camp” meant. She rode bikes, played softball, spoke various languages, was avant-garde and unapologetic. She was from the Old World mentality (Roman Catholic, of Spanish decent) but managed to evolve into a influential matriarch with very modern and progressive philosophies.
She was a university literature professor but enjoyed reading school-age classics aloud to me (in Spanish) so that I would remain fluent after I moved to the states. She taught me to play chess, write in cursive, sew a button, draw from nature and speak my mind.
I see her face often in the mirror whenever I prove someone wrong and overcome challenges. Her legacy and spirit are still very much alive within my cousins, my sister and I.
Wow! I enjoyed reading about your grand aunt. You have painted an evocative portrait of her that resonates. And thanks for your gracious words.