The Goddesses of Everyday Life asked this question, my mind goes blank. And I try to think of something unique–some beautiful thing that I can say to express the role of all of us caring for one another. For some reason, perhaps because of where I live here in the mountains–the word sacrifice comes instantly to mind. Daily images that I try to write away stand stubbornly in my view. And I believe beauty is blocked–but suddenly I see that it is not. Because what is more beautiful than the young girl who struggles to her feet on her own after being labeled bad for an unmarried pregnancy, while the father is considered reckless, wild, and a man’s man. Yes, still, even now things go in that sort of direction. There stand the beautiful grandmothers raising their young grandchildren. And so many doing so because their own children refuse, feel cheated of their good times by the unwanted birth of a child. It is not just the young mothers and grandmothers, but the girls who believe jealousy means love, and sport their blackened eyes with acceptance. The trusting girl who takes drugs because she believes it will dull the pain. And more drugs, and more. And how can I say such things are beautiful. I am not even sure why, except that there is something in girls and women that wants to believe so badly. There is a goddess hidden in so many of the females I see that cry, and then try again. That continue to care, even when caring is not returned. Something fine in the broken eyes that refuses to fade entirely. Is it feminism in the girl who makes it on her own with her baby, activism in the grandmother that takes charge? Is there spirituality in the women who turn the other cheek? Aren’t they all goddesses? Beauty is the bravery to try.
Phibby Venable,
Abingdon, Virginia
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This is an ongoing collective writing project, initiated by Magoism: The Way of S/He and Mother Tree Sanctuary in response to the question, "Why Goddess Feminism, Activism, or Spirituality?" We will feature different women's answers here and on the Magoism blog in the months to come as part of this project.
Contributions are welcome. Please email magoism@gmail.com or join the discussion on the Magoism group on Facebook.
Originally posted on http://magoism.net
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