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Hopes, Dreams and Possibilities
I believe that at some stage in our lives we all come to a point where we ask: “What is my purpose in life?”, “Am I living my dream?”, or “Have I lost sight of my dream, and I am now walking in darkness without a dream?” My hope is that we never lose sight that we can change our experiences, and dream a different dream, because we get to choose again, and again the path for ourselves.
My dream is that as women and girls we embrace our strength, and our softness, and not allow others to define this for us.
My dream is that as women, and girls we become secure, and safe in our bodies, and minds.
My dream is that as women, and girls we find peace, and contentment in the fullness of our own bodies, and minds, no matter our shape, size, age, skin color, language, community or country.
My dream is that as women, and girls we understand the importance of embracing each others’ story, purpose, and dream, and hold them sacred.
My dream is that as women, and girls we realize that which we teach we also learn, and sometimes that which we learn can be challenging, but always rewarding.
My dream is that as women, and girls we boldly claim the creativity, and healing that is within us, and that we use this gift to heal ourselves, as well as to support others in their healing.
My dream is that as women, and girls we not allow fear, and despair to keep us stuck in the past, but that we use the past, and the present to improve our future.
My dream is that as women, and girls we allow our competitiveness to give way to sharing, and inclusiveness.
My dream is that as women, and girls we own our feelings, and not depend on others to fill us up.
My dream is that as women, and girls we will look back over the entirety of our lives no matter what the positives or negatives were, and say: “Well done.”
My dream is that as women, and girls we respect our experiences mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually no matter what stage of life we are experiencing.
My dream is that as women, and girls we see our selves as healers with an inspirational presence of balance, clarity, softness, and wisdom.
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Mission Women As Allies is an organization whose mission is to bring women and girls and those who are our allies together to create opportunities for education, dialogue, networking, healing and action. And to build relationships of peace, compassion, trust and hope. That will bring about an increase in individual, collective and universal consciousness. On social justice issues, as well as on issues that involve our everyday experiences in living.
Goals Our goals are to create opportunities and space to affirm our individual selves and each other, and to share an understanding, “that what happens to one of us happens to all of us.” We invite the males in our lives to be involved in this understanding and to take actions on our behalf.
Objectives Our objectives are to share our experiences, to express our concerns, and challenges, and to take actions that come from a place of heart, and consciousness rather than fear.
Vision Women As Allies believes if women, and girls, and our allies are to work together on issues of mutual concern, we must build relationships, and create opportunities, and space to affirm our individual selves, and each other. This is necessary if there is to be education, dialogue, networking, and healing in these areas of mutual concern.
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Introduction:
My intent in creating this website is to speak to the hearts, minds, and souls of women, and girls. To speak of the wounds that life sometimes bring, and to also speak of the joy, and love for life that is found in relationships, families, friends, and ultimately within in ourselves.
The poem below expresses my hopes for all of us a people, as a country, as a world, but most importantly for us as women, and girls that we come to realize that through using the richness of our differences, and the power of our commonalties we can change ourselves, and our experiences. That we can heal the wounds of our past and present, and create a brighter future for each of us.
“The looking glass” As I look through the looking glass I see the tears of a little girl whose sad, and crying. The little girl is crying because she hurts, but because she has a smile on her face no one knows that she is in pain. She continues to wait for someone to see her. What she receives are confirmations that she is not important, and therefore does not exist. She begins to believe this. Maybe she does not exist. The little girl keeps waiting for someone to tell her that she is real, but it never happens. She needs to realize that she is real, vital, and important, whether others tell her so or not. She has to realize that she is part of all that is good, and beautiful in the world. One day the glass will break, and the little girl will walk out, and know that all she needed was within herself. She is the cup, and must fill it herself. She is the only one who can.
We know how to care for each other. We know how to not allow another to fall. We know how to look behind, and ahead for each other. We know how to ensure that none of us are left behind. We know how to hold hands, and trust. We know how to look into each other’s eyes, and find a way through our fears, tears, losses, and pain. We know how to leave blame, judgment, and competitiveness behind. We know how to touch the deepest love, and the deepest wound. We know how to use love, and hope to bind us together. We know how to be the lights in our homes when fear appears. We know how to value the beauty in all things, and in all people.
Let us not be afraid to walk together although the road can be long, dusty, and paved with many detours. Let us not be distracted by the pebbles, and stones that can trip us up along the way. Let us remember to learn each other’s stories, and promise never to forget. Let us remember the courage, and strength of our mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers. Let us not be afraid of each other. We know each other, and we know how to move beyond our fears. We have taken this journey before, and we can take this journey again.
We begin by having compassionate conversations, and taking actions that address the intersections of our everyday lives through awareness, networking, healing, and respect. |
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Embracing our commonalties and our differences, by taking actions that heal our hearts and minds, through communication, awareness and action. |
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For more information about Women As Allies, Inc.:
Please Contact: Lorene Garrett-Browder Telephone:1-831-246-3954
Email: Lorenegb@women-as-allies.org
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Because of the many who dared to hope, and to dream I am able to stand, and to speak. And to remember all those who sacrificed to make my standing, and my speaking possible. |