I started to write a post on spaghetti squash, feta and sausage but had a hard time wrapping my head around food after such a monumental weekend. #womensmarch
I haven’t done any blog reading the last three days and haven’t taken a pulse of blogs and politics. At least with the food and garden bloggers I follow. I’m sure there are countless political blog posts and I will be honest in saying I don’t follow many… ok – any. I read NYTimes online and I try to stay informed. And a visit to my Dad, who lives in a cabin on our property where MSNBC runs virtually 24/7, provides a strong dose of information.
With an activist for a mother, I sometimes never knew as a child which came first for her. (mom on right)
As an adult now, I can say, it was being a mother… classic 70’s here.
I felt guilty wanting her attention when I thought there were so many who needed it more. People with horrible housing conditions and little in the way of human rights or dignity. I didn’t eat a grape till I was probably 18.
I appreciate the passion, emotion and burning motivation that moved her to act, to speak out and to march.
I am not an activist, yet I feel things deeply. I cried when Trump was elected and feel pain for the state of our country and the division that has become so apparent. And I have fought the gloom, doom and foreboding momentum since the first week of November. I have often wondered why that strong, activist spirit did not pass through to me in my DNA.
I want to understand how we each choose to respond to this crisis and others- whether it’s to join a march in the capital, the nearest big city, or how we might find our place in a smaller circle of our smaller community or even in our own garden sending meditation and prayer out into the universe. How do each of us respond in our own way? Or not at all?
I felt honored to meet my community members at the park in town and we walked down our side walks sans police escorts or blockades. Some carried signs, many wore pink hats and accessories and I think we all carried the women (and men and sons) out in the world in our thoughts and in our hearts. And I do thank god hundreds of thousands of women, men, sons and daughters did show up all across the world.
The news will be harder to read each day with the sense of life as we know it unraveling. I want to hold on to my smile, my optimism and stay informed at the same time. This will certainly be a challenge. And who out there coming across this little speck of a blog in a big universe sits on the other side of the fence?
Thank you Orcas Island for giving me a place to show up.
(photo by Jay)
Wendy's Place 
“I didn’t eat a grape till I was probably 18.”
Neither did I! My mom explained, “Cesear Chavez and pickers are suffering for you to eat those grapes. Besides they have no nutritional value. Do you still want to eat grapes?”
Nope, not me.
I did want to eat cheeze whiz sandwiches though, which provoked another discussion.
“Cheeze Whiz isn’t cheese. It is chemicals that are very bad for you and dye. Do you still want to eat cheeze whiz?”
Yes, was my answer.
It didn’t go over well.
The march was simply incredible. Different this because the women weren’t the followers, they were the EVERYTHING!
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Hi Cindy- Did you grow up in CA? I was there when I was little with my Mom- I think I met Caesar once even. I’m glad someone got the reference! My forbidden food desire was Lucky Charms and Captain Crunch.
The mass marches all over the world were truly inspiring and so are the latest immigration demonstrations. I wonder when the Trump voters will have the courage to admit how cruel a person he is.
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Stay engaged, Wendy, bizzaro world is upon us. Stay engaged.
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Thanks for that. Words for us all to live by. w
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Congratulations!
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thanks:-)
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This moved me s tears Honey. hearing you didn’t know, as a child, whether being an activist or being a mom was more important to me and sad to hear you felt guilty thinking others needed me more.
That strong activist spirit IS absolutely in your DNA!! Ask anyone that knows you. You may express it in different contexts… but you are full of fire, passionate, and take action where you see the need to do so, and you follow through. Look at some of your past and current involvements…
It’s wonderful to hear about the Orcas Island women’s march, and your participation. How interesting, this time I didn’t participate; I was still in Sri Lanka, and you did. Love it.
Please hold on to that smile, that optimism, and the desire to stay informed. They are major contributions to the world. Seriously. Love you so much Wendy. Mom.
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Thanks and I will. xx
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As you might have experienced while living over here, I think us Germans are not a people who go on the streets for much. Most of us are probably too comfy to feel we have much to protest about. Sadly. Although I think the s*** will hit the fan here, too, sooner or later.
I’d have loved to participate in one of the marches had I been in the States.
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I can imagine you would Kiki- we saw photos of good turnouts in Hamburg- looked like around the Alster downtown. Amazing. cheers x
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You did meet Caesar Chavez. We had dinner with him with some other supporters but it was in FL in the mid 70’s. I was asked to travel with him and be his press person when he did a week’s tour in FL. The tour began in a small town near Orlando and I brought you to his opening dinner. I introduced you to him and he chatted with you a bit. Part of my job on the tour was to wake him at 4AM each morning because he meditated for 2-3 hours before he began his day. One morning he told me he had been dreaming about you, that you had made such an impression on him. This is a very true story!!
Love Mom
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I meant to comment on this post as soon as it came out, but it also seemed to require deeper thought. In the end, all I want to say is that I totally empathize with you on this front. I think we all find in engagement in our own way. It is very personal. Thank you for your honesty and for sharing this story.
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Thank you Charlotte. w
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Loved this post! Loved the pictures of the marchers (including the men)and the sign about the comb over (so clever). It warmed my heart to see people bundled up on Orcas island banding together for a march. I also loved your mom’s comments on this post. So fascinating.
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Amazing march! I live in Canada, and we had 50,000 turn up in Toronto to march.
It’s insane how such a divisive person can bring so many together.
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