“Remember the dignity of your womanhood. Do not appeal, do not beg, do not grovel. Take courage, join hands, stand beside us.” —Christabel Pankhurst
It is the Day of the Girl: a day I didn’t know existed.
I look at this little tiny girl image of myself and think how sweet and unknowing she was. She didn’t even know her bangs looked sweetly off kilter. She had yet to learn she had a cowlick and therefore bangs were never a good idea, anyway.
I laugh at that now, too – or would that be considered laughing WITH that?
I’m not sure: but Day of the Girl reminds me of my daughter as little girls and the times when I was more optimistic. I was until the last few years inherently I would say almost stridently optimistic. There is a part of me that wishes I still was that way. It made for a much happier overall Julie.
The thing is, I believe we choose the way we experience things.
I may choose optimism by stepping into a practice of gratitude for example.
This Julie-as-Director-Artist-Activist was optimistic to her core, even when she angrily threw her script down due to conflicts at
Julie Jordan Scott, Director VDay Community Campaign Bakersfield 2008
home while she worked to create a meaningful presentation of an important work.
When I look at the most recent image of me, I see the littlest Julie with the sweet bangs and the strident optimistic angry flare up Julie as well.
I have always believed and stood for equality and like Mrs. Pankhurst, don’t believe in groveling or begging.
I think what I need to remember is the courage of joined hands, especially joined hands with other women of all a variety of ages, abilities, ethnicities, persuasions, socioeconomic, faith and activist groups.
Dignity and honor as we rise, separately and together.
It is the Day of the Girl, a day I didn’t know existed. Now that I know, I celebrate the continued path to equality.
Julie Jordan Scott inspires people to experience artistic rebirth via her programs, playshops, books, performances and simply being herself out in the world. She is a writer, creative life coach, speaker, performance poet, Mommy-extraordinaire and mixed media artist whose Writing Camps and Writing Playgrounds permanently transform people’s creative lives. Watch for the announcement of new programs coming in soon!
To contact Julie to schedule a Writing or Creative Life Coaching Session, call or text her at 661.444.2735.
