- Feast countdown = 50
- Current craving = Cheese pizza, no frills
- Current craving distraction = Watching The Godfather (part II) with friends
I listened to a clip of NPR today about innovative women, and although the topic largely centered around environmental sustainability, I latched on to a different message -- that the feminine qualities in all of us have a unique strength and ability to improve society. Annie Leonard briefly talked about her new role as a mother and how it revealed a power deep within that she never knew she had. Much like a lioness and its cubs, she explained her new fiercely protective and dominant nature, ready to lash out at anything that threatened her young. In an interesting twist, Leonard then challenged her audience to harness these feelings toward social leadership, by adopting a more communal mindset and driving progressive change.
As humans, why do we limit this maternal strength and sacrifice to our immediate loved ones? What would it look like if we became "protective mothers" of the world's most helpless?
Throughout history, women have been pivotal in binding communities together and leading progressive movements to help the downtrodden (think women's movement against child labor in early 1900s). This presents us with a powerful platform to encourage interdependence, empathy, and service. While I may not agree with claims that women are inherently more nurturing or sensitive than men, I do believe that society has reinforced these gender roles, and in doing so, unknowingly developed a channel for women to lead with these strengths.
Aside from reinforcing women's confidence in themselves, I hope this message does much more in the way of inspiring compassionate, vehement, community-oriented leadership. Every person neglected by family and government, who falls to the lowest rungs of society, must become our next big cause. What greater joy than to empower, protect, and strengthen those unable to fend for themselves?
When in need of inspiration, click on the Discovery Channel sometime and watch the lioness in action.
As humans, why do we limit this maternal strength and sacrifice to our immediate loved ones? What would it look like if we became "protective mothers" of the world's most helpless?
Throughout history, women have been pivotal in binding communities together and leading progressive movements to help the downtrodden (think women's movement against child labor in early 1900s). This presents us with a powerful platform to encourage interdependence, empathy, and service. While I may not agree with claims that women are inherently more nurturing or sensitive than men, I do believe that society has reinforced these gender roles, and in doing so, unknowingly developed a channel for women to lead with these strengths.
Aside from reinforcing women's confidence in themselves, I hope this message does much more in the way of inspiring compassionate, vehement, community-oriented leadership. Every person neglected by family and government, who falls to the lowest rungs of society, must become our next big cause. What greater joy than to empower, protect, and strengthen those unable to fend for themselves?
When in need of inspiration, click on the Discovery Channel sometime and watch the lioness in action.
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