Election Exhaustion And Women I Love

I know, I know. We didn't think he could do it. But he did it. And the country is in an uproar. And more importantly, I am very tired. Are you guys tired? I woke up Wednesday in such an emotionally exhausted state. I was in a foggy haze worse than when I woke up in my hospital room after I had had my first child and saw her in that little baby thing on wheels next to my bed, and I was like "Who the hell is this now, I'm trying to sleep" until it hit me, "Oh yeah, I had a baby a few hours ago." I mean I was totally wiped.

Yup, we are pretty beat. And you people who are really into the whole political thing must be really tired. I love my country and I care about who runs it, of course I vote, but beyond that, I stay out of it.  I figure, you know, those guys have it covered. They probably don't need my help. As a matter of fact the closest I ever got to being involved in politics is when I ran for Junior Class Secretary in high school. The only reason I did THAT was because my dad said if I didn't get involved in some kind of school activity he wouldn't let me go out with my boyfriend on the weekend AND my mother said I could get a new jean skirt. Also, no one ran against me, so I felt  I had a very good shot at it.

Now, where am I going with this you are probably asking yourself because you have shit to do and this is starting to drag on. Well I am NOT talking about the election, believe it or not. I am not telling you who I voted for, or how I feel about the person who was elected. For all you know I may have written in my choice. Maybe I voted for Don Draper. He would make an awesome president, just look what he did with that smoking campaign. And he really carries himself well. So cool.

What— too soon?

Okay, what I want to talk about is women I admire, and this came to me after watching Hillary's concession speech. No tears. No recriminations. Wearing PURPLE for God's sake. And even in defeat, leaving us with a message of hope. How classy is that? Forget about the whole email thing. Frankly, I screw up my emails all the time. One time my friend sent me an email about her boss screwing her over on a promotion, and I wrote back HE IS A MOTHER FU---R and then accidentally sent it to MY boss. So, you know, I can see how it could happen.

Other women who have left a permanent mark on me? Princess Diana. Can't even write about her because I will cry and I have a dentist appointment shortly.  Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Can anyone ever really see a pink suit and a pillbox hat and not get the chills? I can picture her standing at JFK's funeral with her children, she all  draped in black, back straight, elegant yet so obviously deeply mourning. I had snot running down my face for 3 days after my dog died, so, I am in awe.

The list is endless, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ellen DeGeneres, Michelle Obama, Meryl Streep, Gloria Steinem, Nora Ephron, Erma Bombeck,  Rosa Parks, J K Rowling, All the women astronauts, my mother, okay fine, Oprah. These are just a few who come to mind in this minute. This doesn't even begin to sum up the list of women who I admire, who I feel have contributed to this world of ours where women are now finally beginning not only to sit in the front seat, but to actually drive.

Would it have been great to see a woman president? Of course, but I have no doubt the time is coming. I will see that in my lifetime, of that I am sure. Think of what we have seen, in the last few generations. Look at the daughters that we have produced. You think ANYTHING will stop them from getting what they want out of life? No way. The glass ceiling Clinton spoke of will soon be just wide open blue sky.

Ellen repeated a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt the other day in trying to cheer up those who felt devastated by the election results.  She said, "It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness."I love that. Because I know that even as women take their rightful place in the world, and accomplish more than generations before ever thought possible, it will always be us, the women, who carry the matches and keep the candle burning. And the dripping wax will burn the hell out of us and leave some scars. Still it is us who will be keepers of the flame and who will continue to illuminate the road ahead. And make no mistake; we are unstoppable as we head strongly and confidently towards the light.

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