Wednesday 19 December 2018

A DIFFICULT WOMAN ...?

 
In recent months a number of incidents have added together to stoke the fires of my lifelong feminism, and resulted in my making a deliberate choice to assert myself more.  When you have limited energy its easy to just go along with stuff because the cost of fighting back is too high.

Someone was incredibly rude to me, but because children were present and obviously aware of the atmosphere, I chose to simply walk away and not take on my critic.  Afterwards (like you do) I asked myself if I should have spoken up, and whether I was in fact a Difficult Woman who should mend her ways.  Eventually, after a lot of prayer and reflection I concluded that it had been right to spare the children embarrassment, but it also reminded me that I don't have to apologise to anyone for being a woman unafraid to state a strong opinion.  You don't have to agree and I'm not afraid to be challenged, even if I do have to choose which battles to fight and which to walk away from.

All this was in my mind as I worked on this page - a simple painted background with collage elements.
Frida Kahlo is a particular heroine of mine because she lived in lifelong pain but also very much on her own terms, so she seemed to belong on this page.  I've also added more collage, grey shadows and some doodly details to make the collage pieces more truly mine.
At which point all that was left was to speak my truth ... and leave it there.  I'm not going to stew over it, and I am going to forget and forgive the rudeness of the person who spoke to me.  However, I'm not sorry that it reminded me of some of the truths I have lived by for 50 years, and stirred up my fire again!
I hope you and yours have a lovely Christmas season, and thank you for being with me on the journey.
Rosie

1 comment:

alexa said...

Very energising to feel that clear determined inner voice :)and see it reflected in your page. Frida is indeed such a great role model (as you are too xx).