Why I've Never Understood Women's Day

Until yesterday

Yesterday was the first ‘Womens Day’ I’ve understood.

Why this year?

What’s been missing all the years before?

I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve been missing an ingredient I needed to see the importance of women both individually and collectively.

I have always believed each of us should do our best to be good people. I understand the individual. But the ‘collective’ I’ve never understood. I’ve seen how collectives are slow to get things done and frustrated by sticky red tape and watered down settling for second best. I don’t want to be slowed down or told what to do by anyone. I love my own time. I love charging forwards with my projects and doing my best. I really get how important individually we each are.

I’ve never been very good with groups, or in groups. Except for sometimes, occasionally.

I do better on my own.

Or so I long believed.

That belief is not true. It’s just something I’ve told myself because life hasn’t always gone how I wanted when with others.

It’s a belief I’ve crafted because of the ways in which I’ve not fit in.

But.

This year something changed.

I had a dream of myself sitting at a table with a group of 6 women. They were kindred spirits. It was exactly the kind of gathering I was longing for. We were knitting and drinking tea and chatting. It was heart quenching. I hadn’t realised how I longed for this kind of gathering until the dream arrived. And I remembered when I actually had been part of a knitting circle (photo below of me breastfeeding my son Jago, and learning to knit with my friend Marilyn in Bragg Creek, Canada).

My clever mind had delivered something precious and important. I will not start a knitting circle because where I live it is TOO hot for knitted anything however I got the message - a harmonious gathering of women - is needed in my life.

What I understand more clearly is I do well on my own AND I need others.

Fires have moved through me this year and cleared some stuff out.

My convictions, always strong, got fierce.

We are not okay.

We need every single one of us to do better.

We need connection, we need joy, we need health, we need harmony, we need energy, we need nature, we need each other, we need everyone to be accountable and responsible, we need kindness, we need - to - be - uniquely - ourselves and to share who we are with each other.

I lead a gathering of women every week and oh-the-surprise in what I thought was a movement class (physical movement) became (all of us agreed in the group) actually a MOVEMENT - a supportive, real, no bull-shit women’s movement - in which - after we’ve stirred the collective cauldron of wisdom - we do actually do some movement to sort ourselves out and get blood and wisdom flowing in our veins (Info about this class here: https://members.lucypaget.com/newyear)

Something in me got fixed - in part because of this group I lead - in part because I have an amazing life coach - in part because maybe, finally it’s just the right time - and I had a dream - and I am glad.

I get the importance of Collective - We (& Me) - Brilliant ALL of Us.

Womens Day, yesterday, I could finally take in and savour like a prayer.

My prayer is that we each take our place.

This year I show up to take my place in the collective of women I know and don’t know to do good work.

I’m fierce, grounded and warm hearted and I mean business.

My business is helping people to take their place.

There’s no competition.

There’s all of us - and - each of us - taking our best place, showing up, standing with your own goodness flowing through you - and doing what you’re here to do.

Lets stoke the fire and light up our hearts, our homes, our worlds.

Lucy

Here are a few women you likely don’t know who I have in my heart this morning as I write this message…

Dorian comes to class and shares wise and warm hearted words. I recently discovered she has a book series about misunderstood plants and makes medicine scarves with plants she grows and uses for dyes. Check her out here: https://www.dbyates.com/misunderstood-plants-series

Last year I came to know a young woman, Madison, healing from brain surgery. She stayed for 2 months at my rental cottage in Nicaragua to do deep healing work. Madison inspired me with her commitment to healing. Here is her story and fundraising platform.

Bex (Rebecca Stonehill) is an old friend of mine. She writes extraordinary poetry and is a published author. I am moved often by her writing - particularly about activism. Here’s one of her posts.

p.s. You are so WELCOME in my women’s movement - we start a new 6 week program this week - here’s the information https://members.lucypaget.com/newyear

This is me, my sister & my mother. When she was alive my mother always pushed me to do my best. My sister has championed two of the most important things I love to do - singing and writing.