It’s Monday and there is a question at the forefront of my mind. What do I do now? To stand among 60,000+ people and then scroll through my screen later that day to see that we were just one mass among so many others in cities throughout the world is empowering. I think I likely have company in the question I just posed. I am one person; one woman. How do I use my energy and sense of empowerment to do good; to incite change? I know that so many of us feel ignited to make a difference after the high that comes with being part of such a powerful day, yet how we take the next step forward is individual. It might be cautious for some, and a strong leap for others.
Here’s the thing: how we become involved needs to be grounded in our own truth. It is my responsibility to give serious thought to how I want to react to the momentum that I feel, to determine what I feel capable of, and to act. Many of us will write a long list of things we are going to do; volunteer, donate, write letters and so on. Yet one week, one month from now, we will not be doing it. It may sound a bit brutal and bit too honest; yet for many it will be the truth. I know enough about myself to know that there is a strong chance I would become one of those people.
So as I sit here, sharing images from my viewpoint among the crowd on Saturday morning, I am trying to find a balance in my own mindset between the feeling of empowerment and the fear of letting myself, and my fellow citizens, down. How am I going to manage my feeling of empowerment in a way that will allow me to be successful? How can I step into this movement without overwhelming myself into a static position; a state of complacency? What WILL I do now?
I have a lot of thinking to do. Right now my thought process is grounded in how I can be a better woman in the roles that I hold in my life; as a wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend. Being a strong and empowered member of my community means that I first must do good by the people that rely on me.
So as I kick off my own journey into this worldwide movement that will need every ounce of momentum it can get, I share what is just a small iota of the camaraderie, love, strength, passion, awe, and even hilarity that happened on our streets two days ago.
As I begin my own journey into how to build on my sense of empowerment I wish you luck on your own. I encourage you to read, to learn, to listen, to love, to support, to share. Give thought to how you want to react, feel capable in how you will do so, and take that step forward. I will see you there.
:o)
Adrienne
All images by Adrienne Schell. Do not use without permission.
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