Womans March 2017






"Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, 
penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope." 
~ Maya Angelou

 #WhyIMarch

 I marched for my children and to show solidarity of women worldwide for not only equality but integrity for everyone-- all. My hope and prayer is that my sons will grow up to be men of honor in words and actions toward all people. 
My oldest son goes to school in the "inner city" with kids from every walk of life and color. It's also known as the school that is "kind" to LGBT. He's already had to deal with a situation at school when kids got into "locker room talk" and bullying with a bi-sexual student.  My son learned first hand how destructive this kind of behavior is. And, that silence when a group is bullying is actually consent. When we don't speak up, others will assume you condone the behavior. When he just learned this lesson, how can I NOT walk? 
When we show up, we empower ourselves and others to boldly do the same. Now the real action is to keep at it. Keep showing up for my kids, calling my senators, contribute to causes that matter to me, and at the heart of it all being KIND. You don't have to like someone to be kind, loving or gracious. The very thing we criticize the POTUS of doing (the blaming, name calling, bullying and whining), we are also guilty of. There's no reason to shame, blame or not be kind-- even to those we totally disagree with or have different views from. I will not be cruel when I speak my opinions of him or his actions. Just the facts-- and they speak for themselves. If you need fuel to motivate you to post-march action, I think this article lays it out nicely.



Here's what I am doing to affect change: 
1. Taking care of myself and my family by getting my own affairs in order: 
  • health: Health insurance (health shares are exempt from Affordable Health Care). Eating clean and moving my body as a priority 
  • future planning: made a will, sorted finances, etc.
  • my children: talk, read with, share hard conversations and teach integrity. Teach mindfulness tools to my son's teachers

2. Political action:
  • wallofus.org website sends daily activism such as calling and writing to senators about issues important to me and affecting our country. 
  • Using an app called #boycott to make my voice heard about products that hurt the environment
  • INSPIRING what is NEXT video by the Obamas: Obama.org-- new presidential center where they are asking people to submit ideas on what they should focus on for their foundation. 
  • Womansmarch.org also sends out action items and suggestions.

🇺🇸
3. Love and service in things that matter close to my heart:
  • Stay educated and give back: Alzheimer's Society in Calgary showed the movie Still Alice last night and had a neurologist to answer questions. Son #2 and I went to learn and talk about what we can do to keep our brain healthy, how this disease needs more funding for research for a cure, the stigma of the disease compared with cancer.
  • Caregivers of Alzheimer's Retreat in Houston, November 2017, apply today. It is free for all caregivers. 

And
Love
Respect
Kindness
What are you doing? I'd love to know more. Please keep comments positive, action reoriented.

And if you made it this far and need to laugh, here you go. You're welcome. 

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 All photos by Melissa Smith.

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