International Women's Day

I LIKE THAT I stopped for a few groceries at a local market on March 8, International Women’s Day. It gave me that chance to speak to the checkout clerk and a male shopper about the celebration of women and how the day is meant to inspire women and celebrate achievements.

At noon that day, I had spent a glorious time having tea and sharing a fruit platter with other women at the Campbell River Women’s Centre. We sat around a large table and chatted about our accomplishments, so far, with our selves, children, husbands and family. One of the women wanted to know how International Women’s Day came to be and another explained that the idea and theme started in Eastern Europe and Russia around 1914.

“Women wanted to make a political statement about equality and wanted to have the same rights as a man. They marched in the streets and spread the word about human rights and how they wanted a say in how things should be run. In the United States, in 1908, women took the streets with placards telling everyone that they wanted the right to vote.”

I piped in with what I had learnt while I was teaching English in China.

“In 1949 the Chinese government proclaimed March 8 would be made an official holiday with women in China given a half-day off. We need the same thing to happen in Canada.”

The conversation continued in a playful and highly energized way. Some of us exchanged contact information and promised to continue our newfound friendships.

  

“The woman is indeed of the greater importance to the race. She has the greater burden and the greater work…” ~ (Abdu'l-Baha, Abdu'l-Baha in London, p. 102)

Women are grrreat!