Emerging Courageous online Magazine - Stories
Exploring Beliefs About Being a Woman -
by Gloria Wachtel, Kentucky Artist ©2003
Each time I have a workshop, I learn so much more
about what it means to me to be a woman and how important my history is to my
story. More and more I am looking back to see who came before me. At times I
hate to admit where I come from and who I come from, but I know that it is the
stories of these people behind me that set the foundation for my own growth as a
woman living here in the United States. Sometimes the
journey seems too hard but here we are still moving ahead facing stronger and
deeper my female power grows. As I begin to stand and
face the world on my terms, I am more open to accepting and acknowledging my
strengths and weaknesses as a woman. This doesn't mean that others have to
change and follow my path. It only means that I get to be who I was meant to be,
a real woman created by me: free, smart, intelligent, kind, loving, caring,
creative, intuitive, successful, happy, content, crazy, sexy, satisfied,
childish, and whole. It is because of your generous gifts of sharing in the
circle experience that helps to open that deep well of women power inside each
of us. That is the place of precious and valuable tools to help us along
our way as we traverse difficult times.
Women have much to offer the world. But until we can
stand solidly and confidently on our own feet honoring and respecting our women
power, we can never make a change in the culture and in the society
that we live in today. This women power is a power that rises up from along the
way women have been disconnected from this power source. It is our
responsibility to get back in touch with our gifts and begin
to open the door to that private and secret place that holds the answers for our
ourselves and our universe. The current system isn't working and will never work
as long as one group is see as less than.
When more women begin standing secure in their power, the
doors will be forced open for a more equal communication of power and control.
No one says this will happen overnight. However, every tiny step
taken by a woman today to stop belief inequality towards women will be a
step forward for the next generation of women. We are sitting on the shoulders
of our past mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, great great grandmothers,
etc. on down the line. Now it is our time to create history for our daughters,
granddaughters, great granddaughters, great great granddaughters, etc..
Each courageous step we take as women helps us move
closer towards the reality of true equality for all women around the world. When
that happens, all people, places, and things will be seen as valuable, useful,
and worthwhile commodities for the continuation of the human race.
Gloria Wachtel [email protected]