I nearly didn’t go.
I had a terrific excuse: a newborn that had barely been out of the apartment, much less in the midst of a germ-y, wintry, march of hundreds of thousands, on dirty city streets.
But I made it; my baby boy Bo bustled to my breast.
And so did 2.9 million others worldwide.
In the surprising backlash against the phenomenal Women’s March this past weekend, there were a few camps.
Frankly, I couldn’t believe there were any camps, other than: “yay, equality” and “yay, women…”
What, really? We finally get together on a massive scale for the first time ever and hours later we’re tearing each other down about it?
In case you didn’t know, your Facebook algorithm shows you what you want to see. That means if you’re a liberal you’re seeing liberal news articles, and if you’re conservative vice versa. 99% of my friends and connections bend left so that’s reflected back to me. What I saw and experienced Saturday was overwhelming Love and connection. In person and later on my feed.
It was not only a feeling of connection, it was a realization to those marching and those around the world, just how much dormant power is waking up.
My friend Mike Farrah put this rise of the feminine amazingly well:
“Anybody who doubts women should run sh** should understand that a demonstration happened in Los Angeles with between 500k and 700K and 0 arrests.
Men can not get through a single football game.
Chargers average 24.6 per game.”
Yet apart from my feed, I’m in these mommy groups online who sang a different story. Others recounted hearing of a march that was solely pro-abortion, women running around topless screaming, “there is no God!” They spoke of marches filled with violence and hate.
This “alternative fact” was spread because, people wanted to, on some level, believe it. Because they have been made to feel that FEAR is what’s most comfortable. (It’s what is most comfortable to many because it’s what most often has been served.)
And even more shocking to my feed was the “holier than thou” reaction, from some super smart wellness and spiritual leaders I admire…
The, “I’m more elevated than this”
“this gathering is still structure and therefore part of the patriarchy”
or “I am not oppressed; I can get any job I want” bent.
You can get any job you want? And you redirect to women across the world and Guatemala, India, Syria to demonstrate “real” suffering?
That’s incredible. So then you have the opportunity to take a portion of the proceeds from the job that it was so easy for you to get, and to spread the love to those other places. And by love here, I mean money. And therefore, by example, and by being grateful for your privilege, you shine a light on the injustices elsewhere? Beautiful. ‘Cause unless you’re doing that darlin’, it’s a little hypocritical to redirect.
And because if we are a teacher, if we are a true thought leader, we do not say “oh we are better than this.” We instead look at 2.9 million women (and men) waking up, and the millions more that couldn’t join them due to illness, work or lack of childcare, and we look at the most angry or the weakest or the most confused and we say:
Babes, take my hand.
Let me show you the Power you have.
Because “being above” as an excuse or path to spiritual awakening, is just a new brand of elitism.
We do not rise by shaming.
We do not bully to awaken.
Listen sister: Holier than thou ain’t holy.
Look around. Our awakening is in the dirt. It is in the streets. It is in the woman who wanted to go, but didn’t have any friends to join her. Who wasn’t quite brave enough this time, but perhaps she will be next time.
Because we let her know: YOU. This is for you too. This is especially for you.
YOU rising is our greatest strength.
You wanted to do laundry Saturday? You wanted to pray at home? You are on your honeymoon and oblivious to what was happening and soaked in margaritas on the Gulf of Mexico? Perfect. You do you.
But whether you agree with their views or not. We do not bring down those who are peacefully and lovingly taking a stand.
Babes, take my hand.
Let me show you the Power you have.
We are in this together.
