Today I was hit by an unexpected wave of emotion as I watched Kamala Harris being sworn in as the first woman to hold the Vice-Presidency. I sat there with my two daughters watching as Sonia Sotomayor voiced the oath for VP Harris to vow.
While I tend to be an emotional person, I am not usually emotionally moved by important moments like these. I am grateful and pleased most definitely, but rarely emotional.
I watched Christina Koch and Jessica Meir perform the first all female spacewalk in 2019. At the time my daughter asked why hadn't girls done that before and that resonated with how I generally feel about such events. It is great that it is happening but why has it taken so long and why is it still so rare for these special events for women that we have to make note that it is a woman?
Something about watching these two amazing and powerful women today though, made me well up a little. These are the barriers I want to watch crumble. I want my girls to grow up in a world where truly any dream is possible. I want them to shoot for the stars, for whatever their hearts desire and not be held back by something so simple-minded as being born a woman.
I'm grateful for the emotion I experienced today. I'm grateful to get to witness so many amazing women in my lifetime. I'm grateful for my girls, young as they are, watching this process with me. I'm grateful to see them enthralled by the beautiful young poet Amanda Gorman and I'm grateful for her powerful words. I'm grateful for a peaceful process today. I'm grateful for the sun shining. I'm grateful to feel like a new leaf is being turned over and while there will always be some days forward and potentially some back I am grateful to feel a new hope for love and unity.
What moves you? What mark are you making in history today, even if it is seemingly that in "just" your own story? How do you imagine your life and your story impacting the world around you? How can you make a beautiful mark in history?
May today remind us we all have the power to inspire and bring change. May we use our powers to bring positive, loving change. May we take the time to consciously choose how we will make our mark in history. Have a beautiful day!