Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Women...Can't Live Without...


Women...ok, ok, so you are thinking, 'what is this guy doing writing about women for his Alphabe-Thursday post'? Given that this meme is occupied by women, save myself, there are certainly many qualified voices out there that could speak more ably on the subject. I cannot speak to what it is to be a woman, at least as an experience in present life. What I can do is provide a snapshot of sorts from the outside looking in.

For most of my life I have found myself in the company of, if not outright surrounded by, women. As a youngster I would often commune with my mom and her bridge club ladies, or my sister and her school mates (I always had a crush on one or more of them). Throughout most of my adult life the majority of my friends have been women. I have led two prayer groups in recent years. Guess what? All women...and me. I have participated in two mind/body therapy groups and once again found myself the sole male in a group of women. There seems to be a pattern here. Some might suggest that it was, is, nothing more than coincidence. That might work for some, but as for me, I do not believe in coincidence. What I do believe however is that I have lived many lives before this one, and I have been told that some of these lives were lived as a woman. I will not go into details, but suffice it to say that not all were lived under the best of circumstances. If reincarnation is real (I believe it to be), then it is possible that there is some connection, some 'bleeding through' of circumstance, feeling, attitudes, wisdom from past life to present. This may explain, in part, much of what has transpired in my life and much about who I am.

No discussion about women would be complete without acknowledging some favorites...those women (and there are many), that I have found inspirational. As I was mentally preparing to write this post, two women in particular came to mind. Both of these women were pioneers...one in the art world, and the other in the world of women's rights. Neither were overly familiar to me until I watched biographical movies about each.

Georgia O'Keeffe...I have for the longest time appreciated her artistic style, yet knew nothing of her personal story. I like her art and love that she lived and worked for years in a part of New Mexico that is so familiar to me. There is a recent movie, Georgia O'Keeffe, now available on DVD, casting Joan Allen in the lead role. It received three Golden Globe nominations, and is well worth watching if you have not seen it.

Alice Paul...An early 20th century Women's Rights activist...a remarkable woman and hugely responsible for the 19th Amendment securing women's voting rights. She laid it down, risking it all, for something in which she believed. A 2005 movie release, Iron Jawed Angels, with Hilary Swank in the lead role, was a Golden Globe winner and well worth your time.

I know you must be thinking, 'when is he going to finish this post'? I apologize...there is just so much to say. I will end for now with this thought...I believe that if this world is to be led into an age of peace, that if we are to realize 'Eden' on this beautiful orb in this very large universe, then it will surely be done on women's wings. That is a heavy burden and responsibility..."Mom, what's for dinner?"


"I found that I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way- things I had no words for" - Georgia O'Keeffe


" I often lay on that bench looking up into the tree, past the trunk and up into the branches. It was particularly fine at night with the stars above the tree" - Georgia O'Keeffe

"The world crisis came about without women having anything to do with it. If the women of the world had not been excluded from world affairs, things today might have been different" - Alice Paul

" I always feel the movement is a sort of mosaic. Each of us puts in one little stone, and then you get a great mosaic at the end" - Alice Paul

Peace and blessings...remember to visit the many remarkable posts of Alphabe-Thursday at Jennymatlock.blogspot.com

Jenny Matlock

Prize Giveaway announcement!! My one year blog anniversary will be here in July. Prizes will include, but not limited to, a made to your specs hummingbird feeder, a lovely, English tea cup, and ??? All you have to do to enter is 1) write a short poem , or Haiku, and 2) revisit my posts over the last year and let me know your favorite...photo, quote, poem, topic, etc.

25 comments:

  1. What an informative post! I agree that both of these women were pioneers and we should look to them for their courage and inspiration.

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  2. Jeff, nice post. I'm a fan of Georgia O'Keefe.
    I have written a Haiku lately. Guess I'll need to write one in honor of your year's anniversary. Congratulations! ~ Sarah

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  3. Great post Jeff. I love Georgia O'Keefe. When DH and I lived in Philadelphia, he was doing an art install at a psychiatric facility. They wouldn't let him place any of her work :) I've heard the movie of her life is quite good, I'll have to look for it. Kathy

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  4. What a nice post! You have been blessed with great company.

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  5. Great post, as we are mostly women we are certainly glad you have joined us.

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  6. Well Jeff, that explains a lot ... and i enjoyed your post, informative and appreciative ... it was a lovely read and an unexpected topic ... now i must buckle down and try to write a poem ...(i am not a writer) ... in honour of your 1st blogaversary!

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  7. Wow. What a wonderful stop on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "W".

    All that time with women and you thought we would be thinking "when is he going to finish this post?"

    Ahhhh...how wrong you were about that, fine sir.

    The rich depth you add each week to this meme makes you a favorite of many!

    Including me!

    A+

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  8. I know you will appreciate this, Jeff. My word verification was "venus".

    ha!

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  9. Jeff this is a wonderful post. I admire both of these women and will look into seeing those movies. No wonder you have so much insight and empathy with women. I will enjoy a good conversation on this subject(reincarnation) with you sometime!!

    Hugs to you!

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  10. Thanks for this excellent lesson on Georgia O'Keefe, a woman who I had not heard of before and Alice Paul. They are indeed two very special women.

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

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  11. I love Georgia O' Keefe's ranch. I think it is still preserved. I wonder what I could get done, if I chose to work in such a solitary way.

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  12. My husband is a lot like you: always in places where he finds himself the lone male in the company of women. I don't think he's thought too much about this. It bothered me when I was much younger, but today, it's just part of what makes him who he is. There's a sensitivity to men who are drawn to women's company that is missing in men who aren't. Thanks for including the images and quotations at the end.

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  13. You and I must be opposites, because many times I've found myself the lone female in the group. Most of my friends have been male. Thanks for sharing those great pictures and thoughts with us, and for highlighting our gender. Nice work.

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  14. I love Georgia O'Keefe.

    I often find myself the only woman in a golf foursome or the only woman on a fishing expedition. I kinda like it!

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  15. My husband was a great deal like you. He attracted to and by women until the day he died. He even flirted with the Hospice nurse! He loved women and much preferred them to men as friends.

    Thanks for the photos and the wonderful text. You have inspired me to see those movies. Thanks.

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  16. so glad you had lots of inspirational women around you :D

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  17. some men just get along with women....my husband is one of them too.....good for you.....

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  18. Jeff you are so bright to come up with these inspirations....thanks for sharing...always nice to get your perspective.

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  19. I don't know if we've been through this life before but I sure do find you a very enlightened man. I remember watching Iron Jawed Angels a few times. I looked into the history of Alice Paul after that. She was really an amazing woman. Great W post.

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  20. Dear Jeff,
    What a wonder, well-written and infomative post! I wasn't sure what the buttons were all about. My daughter Elisabet found a bag of old buttons and started sorting out the ones she liked best and would like to make something out of. So I have had 'buttons-on-the-brain' today. But your post is a very serious and partly very personal text. I read every word. You are a wonderful man, Jeff! Remember that if you ever have an off-day and need some cheering up.
    Best wishes,
    Anna

    Anna's W-Words

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  21. My daughter came and I pressed the 'post-button' too soon! I mean of course 'What a wonderful...'
    Hello again!
    Anna

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  22. ...my hubby is a people person...very social and at ease with anyone! After 28+ years of marriage...I appreciate his ability to relate with men and women alike. Georgia O'Keefe's art is so beautiful! and I had not known about Alice Paul until your post.

    Blessings & Aloha!

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  23. I am an artist, and two years ago my Best Friend Artist took me to Santa Fe for my birthday. We went to the Georgia O'Keeffe museum. We stayed there so long, absorbing her work, that I think the guard thought we might try to steal something!

    The movie was excellent, by the way.

    In what part of Tennessee do you live? You look familiar! HAHAHAHA

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  24. Ahhhhhhhhhhh shucks, Jeff...I was sure you were going to name me as one of your top 2 women! But, I will say that the two you picked are too tuff to beat!

    Neighbor, it appears to me that you are a great leader. I don't believe in coincidence, either, therefore you were put where you were needed, as a leader. I am old school, I think a man--a strong man--should lead. (Go ahead ladies, send me to the guillotine..but nature has a perfect order and God made man first--for a reason).

    I enjoy reading your posts because you draw deep from within yourself and feel free to express those feelings that come forth. I am not so sure about reincarnation. That area of study has not been one that I've dwelt on. I do believe in Heaven and Hell and Angels and Demons and an afterlife associated with that--if that counts..

    Thanks for sharing and for reading my ramblings...Have a great week and keep cool. This East TN weather is so darn fickle!!

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  25. I love this! I always love hearing a man say wonderful things about women...

    =)

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