On this, the Centennial of the International Day of Women,
I send out a prayer
For women around the world.
For the women in Egypt, who call for freedom and non-violence,
And the women in Madison, who stand for dignity and fairness,
And the women in 1911, who marched not just for bread, but also roses,
To you, my sisters, I send my prayers.
For the women in burquas, whose faces I cannot see,
And the women in saris, whose bodies sparkle with color and bangles,
For the hotel maids of the world, who wear sensible shoes,
And the prostitutes outside, who wear high heels,
To you, my sisters, I send my blessings.
For the young college graduate, unable to find a job,
And the woman who lost her job and struggles to feed her children,
And the woman who works such long hours her children cry to see her,
To all of you, peace, comfort, and blessings.
For all the women who refused to “behave…”
For the women burned at the stake,
And the women who kept the faith when others were burned.
For the women who marched for my right to vote,
And the woman who refused to move to the back of the bus,
I send my blessings, love, and gratitude.
For the woman who was almost the first female president of the United States,
And the little girl who one day will be.
For all the mothers of this planet,
For the teachers, nurses, social workers, doctors, lawyers, and waitresses,
For those who birth their gifts in families and children,
And those who birth them in visions and movements.
For my own mother,
Who sends me inspiration by morning,
Cooks for my sister by afternoon,
And sings to her granddaughter by night.
For the women who have support, and those who do not.
For the women who live in mansions, and those on the street.
For the women who walk in marches and the women who stay at home,
For the young, the old, the healthy, and the sick, blessings on all these.
For my spiritual elders,
The woman who said, “Your tears are the anointing of the Soul”
And the other who taught me “Your sexual energy is a healing force,”
For the woman who spoke to me of listening to the Moon,
And the other who showed me how to love the startling spiders in my dreams.
Blessings to you, gratitude, love and blessings this day.
May we all love spiders.
May we all receive the wisdom of the Moon.
May we all speak our tenderness, unfurl our truth, stand up and be counted,
Create, multiply, participate, and act!
The world needs us to love each other.
I see you Sister.
I hold your hand across generations, across ages, across cultural divides.
Like the women of 1911,
We, the women of today, walk for roses, as well as bread.
May we,
all women everywhere,
have a roof over our heads,
food in our bellies,
and roses.
Yogeshwari Laura Cornell, March 8, 2011
