“Women who believe in each other create armies that will win kingdoms and wars. “ – Nikita Gill, Poet
How many of us realize that we are programmed daily with all sorts of messages, both subliminal and overt, about what our role as women is? Have you noticed? Maybe not, it’s that pervasive. Do fish realize they swim in water? Come join me for a journey into the Land of Possibilities…
What if we didn’t pay attention to the messages the media was giving us? What if we didn’t listen to the latest commercial, encouraging us to purchase the most recent faddish clothing, accessory, or face cream?
Why do others get to dictate our clothing through fashion anyway? When did we give them our collective permission to do so?
What if we didn’t aspire to be model-thin and recognized that many of those models are either young teens, who are already at risk for becoming anorexic, or have the full-blown illness already?
What if we decided to follow our own trend, one that each of us was happy with, instead of advertising big brands for free, after we paid THEM lots of money to buy a product we don’t NEED, but are encouraged to WANT?
What if we began to value each other for our inner qualities of kindness, compassion, courage, openness, creativity, joy and dare I say, love?
Perhaps in a world like that, competition, jealousy, and small-mindedness would not exist between women. Young girls wouldn’t have to endure the ridicule and bullying the “in” girls in high school often dish out. In a world like that, we could all accept each other exactly as we are – different and special, in our own unique way.
Have you noticed how many kinds of glorious flowers there are in the world?
Do we bother to compare roses to lilies, to buttercups, to tulips, to irises, to orchids, to hyacinths, with their various shapes, hues, shades and scents? No! We admire them for their unique beauty and appreciate their distinctiveness from each other. As beautiful as they are, who would want a world with only roses in it?
Choosing Our Own Path
Anyone remember the movie, “The Devil Wears Prada”? I have sometimes wondered why some women become spiteful, nasty, and downright mean to each other. Perhaps it’s because they are encouraged to be that way to “climb the corporate ladder”.
Or it’s possible that they feel there is no other way to reach the top of their professions. They see their male counterparts rising in the ranks by stepping over and crushing their adversaries, and they infer that this is what is prized in the corporate world.
What if we created a different world, one where women supported each other, assisted, and treated each other as friends? True friends want to see each other succeed and are willing to share of their knowledge, wisdom, enthusiasm, and contacts to help each other out.
My friends are the family I choose and without their support and love, I would not have come as far as I have today.
“Women can be the strongest supporters of each other, or the deadliest of foes. Which one would you rather be?
What kind of legacy would you like to leave behind you in the world?”
– Ileana Rontea, Loving Messages from Source
What if we did not listen to messages from ANY source that seeks to give us women a subservient role, or attempts to define us in any way?
Could we neutralize the negative and harsh messages society bombards us with? Could we choose to be different with each other by displaying kindness, empathy, and affection? Would that be enough to create a new world?
Can you picture a world where every woman chooses her own path, based on her interests, skills, and desires? A world where a woman would NOT have to marry someone she didn’t want to, just because her family insisted, or because she was poor, would be a very different world, wouldn’t it?
“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different than my own.” – Audre Lorde
What if every woman had the freedom to choose her own education, was encouraged to pursue her own particular talents and just allowed to BE whatever she wanted?
When it comes to career, many of us are pushed by well-meaning parents to enter professions or jobs that we don’t particularly want. Few parents encourage their daughters to be whatever they wish.
We are often given the message that we will be loved, if we do as we’re told, we acquiesce, we are “good girls”, and we have a “safe” and conventional life.
But what if we wanted something different than safe and conservative?
What if we were not held back by outdated ideas about who and what women should be? What would our vista be like then?
I am imagining a world where women are mentors, supporters, and nurturers of each other. I am seeing a world where women are both powerful and kind; a new world where we each want the others to be all they can be, connect to their inner divinity and shining their light.
What could we do if we were connected in that way? How far could we reach and what could we NOT accomplish if we pursued this path? And what if things like “white privilege” didn’t exist because we did not ALLOW it? What if we all treated each other with love, respect, and compassion?
A Paradigm Shift
“We do not need magic to transform our world. We carry all of the power we need inside ourselves already.” – J.K. Rowling
If we lived this way, it would mean a global shift in what we prized, what we fought for, and what we dreamed of. In this new world there would be no more white, black, brown, Asian, native, young old, beautiful, ugly, whatever!
There would only be a global, loving, and supportive network of authentic, immensely powerful, and fiercely determined friends. These extraordinary women would be working to create a world without prejudice, racism, privilege, crushing poverty, hunger, greed, abuse (of humans, animals or the planet), oppression, corruption, and exploitation of any kind.
And what if the women in the so-called “first world” were to use their money, power, and position to change the world for women all over the world, especially those in underprivileged societies? What kind of impact would that have?
And if we could begin to behave in this way, could we also gain the backing of the kind, loving, and awake men? I believe we could because they are out there, and I have had the privilege of meeting some of them. They are eager to help, but this needs to start with us women.
This picture tells a thousand words. White women lined up to protect black protesters after the George Floyd murder. THIS is what united women can do! Dare to dream. As Einstein said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”.
Everything starts with a Big Dream. This is mine. Will you join me?
“It is now time for a leap in collective rEvolution on this planet. The old systems are broken. It is time to create something new based on Collaboration, Co-creation, Commitment and Community.”
– Ileana Rontea, Loving Messges from Source
Your blog post is terrific, Ileana! Thanks so much for your important work. ❤️❤️❤️