Yesterday afternoon I took a seat here, at my desk, and wanted nothing more than to write a simple blog post about how to bring the joy of the women of the past into our homes via the decorating choices we make.
I wasn't expecting Samuel to want to search for flights for Katherine's upcoming graduation from Smith College in May nor for my neighbor to decide to do his very loud lawnwork while I was just trying to get the simplest task done.
I wanted my blog visitors to see how fun it is to decorate with women's history in mind because, after all, it is March - otherwise known to some of us as Women's history month.
Instead - my dear friend called me wanting to talk and I attempted to talk on the phone, write, not get upset about my neighbor standing by his running lawnmower texting and my son asking about flight dates and spaces while punching in the same into his tablet.
My blog post turned into a mishmash which I posted due to sheer defiance and now, beloveds, I will get this dear task straightened up a bit.
It reminds me of hearing unexpected company will be here in five minutes so you stash stuff haphazardly in the closet. The next day you simply must go back or else soon your closet will attract other haphazard items from everyone with whom you share your home!
And by the way, being overcome by other people's stuff is the perfect metaphor for women's history.
Women artists and writers have always had to juggle and deal with noise and other people's desires.
The women I feature in my altar: Gertrude Kasebier, Mary Higgins Clark, myself, countless poets, songwriters, women in the Mills at Lowell, some of the suffragists imprisoned at the Occoquan Workhouse - were mothers, wives, partners, business women, leaders - none were only "one" thing and many didn't have th luxury of a "room of their own" Virginia Woolf often lobbied us all to have.
We don't, still.
And yet, we continue.
This is why it is so fun to share images that illustrate the contribution of women from our families and from the world's family with anyone who crosses the threshhold into our house.
It says, "All people are important to us: the "great and powerful" of business and government and the "great and powerful" of home management and the "great and powerful" of the arts and literature.
You may simply put a photo on your refrigerator and that is more than enough.
You may put together an entire altar, like I have.
You may light a candle on your bedside table and choose to read one women's poet for the rest of the month which you will then read aloud to your children or your pets even.
The most important part of this whole experience is not to check it off a to-do list, but to see how you play a significant part in your own history. I realize now I need to add a family portrait to my women's history altar.
I think that would make it just right.
Women's history is about you and the women who are important in your life as much as it is women in the spotlight. It also offers us, as women and men, to get acquainted with women in history we might not know yet.
I run two blog series called Literary Grannies and in my Letting Your Words Flow series I oftentimes use prompts by women and as if pretty obvious, I am a woman so it might seen obvious to highlight women's accomplishments.
My entry space was so simple to put together and not only good for me and my family, something in your home is perfect way to let your family know about the significant women in your life - including you and your mother and the other mothers in your lives. Not to mention sisters, aunts, and whomever is loved by the people you share your life with everyday.
Celebrating women means celebrating you.
How will you celebrate yourself in your personal history this month?
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