I have always been one to feel as though my personal new year is on September 14. New Years celebrated in January is great, but it never feels like something new and revolutionary is happening. That occurs on our birthdays because for each of us we are heading into the new territory that comes with life and with age.
I had a phenomenal birthday. I ran 13.1 miles for a personal best time, dined with my sisters, was sorted into Slytherin and then spent the evening amongst Harry Potter 'stuff'.
I was reminded of a few highly important things in life, however, this year on my personal new year.
My little sister gifted me a copy of my own book, She's Out There, with a note on the top that said "open the front cover".
Not knowing what I was about to encounter, I slowly turned the cover of the book over. As I glanced at the black hand script written I read slowly and glanced at the signature. Tears formed in my eyes as I struggled to gain my breath and voice back.
Gloria Steinem had personally addressed and signed MY book.
She wrote:
To Corrine--and the power and honesty of your words and your leadership. with support and hope--Gloria Steinem
Gloria Steinem is my shero. She inspired me to begin to find my own voice with words and inspires me daily to fight for what I believe in. She read MY words, and gave me power.
Here's what is most inspiring about HER words. There are thousands of women who have paved the road for our generation of women; so that we can vote, we can speak our minds, we can choose, we can demand equality. Yet not many continue to nurture the younger generations and fight for the cause by showing their love and support. Most still revel in what they have already done (which I am so grateful for) but stop just short.
Gloria showed me what it truly means to live and breath by your beliefs and always pushing things beyond the limit. She truly cares about womens empowerment and womens passion.
It reminds me how important it is that we encourage and motivate one another to be our best selves. To live each moment, and make each decision based on our core beliefs. I would love to say I live every decision based on what my heart believes, but that would be a lie. So many times I say to myself, "that is so not you! what were you thinking".
My new years resolution is to make every effort to live by my belief and passion in equality, justice, and womens empowerment. I will strive to not let others have my power because I feel not pretty enough or not smart enough or not thin enough. I will strive to not let the comfort of one man's hands dictate how I truly feel about him. I will not allow one more person to NOT listen to me, that is unacceptable. And I will not be embarrassed or scared to say what I believe in my heart to be right and just amongst those who oppose.
What would our world be like if we each supported one another without question? Without judgment? If we all spent more time being compassionate to those around us and passionate about the universe we exist in?
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