Today we celebrate International Women’s Day. We’ve come a long way, baby, for sure, but there is, oh my goodness, so much more on the docket. Which brings me to a quote by that irascible, wise critic, and early advocate for women’s rights, George Bernard Shaw:
“This is the true joy in life, being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. Being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.”
When I read that and feel into it, I feel my occasional aches and pains fade into the background, my grievances and irritations become insignificant, I feel part of the whole, glad to be alive, honored to be able to put my chunks of my life toward the betterment of the larger community… And what better cause to burn up into than the movement for women’s rights.
“The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights” Gloria Steinem
Check out the trailer for Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, and the book by Nicholas Kristof and his partner Sheryl Wudunn about the way we’re waking up, raising our voices, making big changes for women around the world.
“If we are going to see real development in the world then our best investment is women.” -Desmond Tutu
Jill Schroder is the author of BECOMING: Journeying Toward Authenticity. BECOMING is an invitation for self-reflection, and to mine our memorable moments for insights, meaning, andgrowth. Check the website for a sample chapter, or see the reviews to get a flavor for the volume. Follow me on Twitter, let’s be friends on Facebook 
