But who has time for recovery? Drek took the kids this morning while I got in an morning nap. As soon as they came home I dressed the girls as warmly as I could and we all hopped back in the car to attend the our local Million Women March.
It was awesome. Although I agreed with the values of the organizers, I was afraid the actual people would turn it into an angry protest. That morning Drek and I reconsidered attending because the news was reporting as an Anti-Trump march, which was not our intention. However, after thinking back to what I knew of the early women's movement I came to the conclusion that it has never been completely unified, and that everyone there would have their own reasons for being there, that everyone would have different issues, and that is ok. Women are people. People are all different, unique and beautiful. It would be just fine if I didn't agree with everyone there, just as long as everyone there has a peaceful intention.
The people there were amazing. They were welcoming, inclusive, accepting, cheerful, hopeful and peaceful. The atmosphere was that of togetherness and optimism. The girls and I joined in a march with a flood of people. There was such a range of people: lots of children, baby carries and strollers, lots of grandmas, different cultures, different races, different religions. There were hundreds of different signs supporting various causes, just as there were thousands of different people supporting various beliefs. But everyone came together to stand together, to support each other, and to help each other.
I was really excited to be apart of such a huge and diverse crowd. I was thrilled to have my girls be a part of that. As I looked at the different signs marching with us ("Love not hate makes America great", "together in peace" and "love trumps hate") I thought how important it is that I send those messages to my children everyday. I need to teach them peace, love, and cooperation. I can't do that with yelling. Marching in a rally is fun and exciting, but my children will learn more from my everyday actions than a few clever signs.
We got home and I immediately collapsed on the bed. I need sleep.
I wanted to go to our "local" women's march (the closest one was all the way up in Park City!) but I got the time mixed up. I thought it was in the evening but it was actually in the morning. I was pretty bummed I missed it, but a huge snowstorm also hit that morning and I had several friends who had to turn around because the roads were so bad.
ReplyDeleteToby has STRONG anti-Trump feelings (that he developed on his own. He came home from school one day last year saying how awful Trump was and we finally had to tell him he wasn't allowed to talk about politics because it got so annoying. Breaking the news to him about who won the election on Nov 9 was so difficult. He cried. Poor kid.) I wish I had been able to take him to a march. But we did at least talk about it and that's better than nothing.