On Tuesday, March 8, 2016 (International Women's Day) a group of women met at the Tompkins County Public Library, to write in celebration of some of the important women in our lives. At the end of the writing circle there were still 10 minutes left, so we created this collective list in celebration of ourselves:
I am the woman who lives on Second Street where small flowers are already in bloom
I am the woman who loves being "retired" and now gets to do what I always meant to do — edit
I am the woman who always has a smile on my face
I am the woman who who loves her cat
I am the woman who doesn't give up
I am the woman who survived cancer
I am the woman who can't wait to start planning my garden
I am the woman who is so grateful for so many blessings in my life, including my nightly lavender-scented bath
I am the woman who would rather dance than eat
I am the woman who must stop watching those shows on TV that advertise houses for sale in Cancun, Nassau, the Cayman Islands, Aruba, the Virgin Islands, etc.
I am the woman who needs nothing but always wants more
I am the woman who embraces her nickname of Warrior Princess
I am the woman who loves to make people laugh
I am the woman who broke out of my well-worn shell this year and is saying yes to myself
I am the woman who has spiritual roots and is growing wings
I am the woman who seeks to connect all the pieces and make a whole life
I am the woman who can stand on her own two feet
I am the woman who is not afraid to use correct grammar
I am the woman who cries at parades and choral concerts
I am the woman who hears you cry, holds your hand, makes you laugh, built a house, wrote a book
I am the woman who lives my own life and carries my own pain
I am the woman who wakes up every morning and laces up her walking shoes, ready to step out into a new day
With gratitude to all the contributors:
Barb Rainboth
Dianne Ferris
Joan Lorson
Kim Zimmerman
Louise Vignaux
Patty Little
Ruth O'Lill
Sandy Ferreira
Tina Champion
Zee Zahava
