Saturday, September 29, 2007

Powerful/Canada!

This is going to be a multi-layered post! I am leaving for home this week so I need to make it good!

The prompt this week at Sunday Scribblings is 'powerful.' This is a topic that I have been mulling over an awful lot over the past few weeks. The novel that I have been working on so much has this as one of its underlying themes. It's about female power; about learning to listen to yourself and to get past some of the barriers that a shocking number of women in the western world have up around themselves. It's about where we put that power and what we allow to have power over us.

It's such an intense thing to be thinking about all of the time. A little while ago I decided that I needed to stop writing about all of the ways that I wasn't good enough. I decided to stop writing about all of the ways that I was frustrated and unhappy. Out of that decision came the most productive writing time I have ever had. Writing about power has shone a light into my own perceived lack of it and I have spent some uncomfortable moments realizing what that means.

We are surrounded nearly every moment of every day with the message that we aren't good enough. We aren't thin enough, we aren't rich enough, we don't have enough toys, enough gadgets. We aren't creative enough, we aren't eating the right foods, we aren't using the right products. We are so frightened we have stopped listening to ourselves. We listen to the false internal voices of self-doubt and the mean external voices of discontent. Happy, contented people don't buy lots of things to fill holes and gaps. Frightened, discontented people do. Marketing companies want us to be afraid. They want us to believe we are somehow lacking. They want us to spend money to make up for that perceived lack. They want us to believe that we need their product to make us feel good again. Type 'diet' into Google and you get one hundred and sixty-two million hits. WHAT are we DOING?!

I have a group of dear friends who I think are among the most beautiful women I know. They are creative and beautiful and strong and feisty and fierce. Every single one of them also worries about her weight. Not one of them needs to. If we each took back every ounce of energy that we waste being AFRAID (of being too fat, too thin, not good enough, not strong enough, not lovable, not worthy, not beautiful enough, not creative enough, not, not NOT), things would be different. We could reclaim our power. We could change our lives. We could change our world.

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I am leaving for Canada this week! "Oh Canada, [my] home and native land!!" We are going home for two things that aren't happening anymore, but we are doing three different things. We are going to two huge family gatherings and spending the week in between at a cottage on a lake. I am going to lay on the dock and canoe with my parents and play with my niece and hang out with my brother and sister-in-law, and play in the autumn leaves and (hopefully) book a wedding venue (eep!) and relax.

We are kind of dashing home so we won't get a chance to see everyone, but we will be home again at Christmas for longer, so that visit will be better. THIS one is about actually having a holiday - YAHOO!! I've told you before how much I love October! When we get back it'll be my birthday and then my work changes and then before you know it it'll be time to go back again. I miss Canada with all of my heart and soul. It's been 9 months since I was there. I'm very excited to reconnect with my landscape.

I'll see you when we get back! Take care of you!

xo

29 comments:

Silvia said...

What a powerful post!! Thanks for sharing this :)

Have a wonderful time in your canada!! xox

Susannah Conway said...

Hmmmmm... our power... hmmm... need to think on this one a bit more. have a wonderful time in your beloved country, baby, and let's speak when you get back! fancy a trip to B in november? xxo

Anonymous said...

Go girl, go. Have fun!

Great thoughts in here!

Anonymous said...

I agree very much on the subject of women's power being undermined by relentless negative messages about our bodies. Well said.

I also know all about missing home, and making those trips and how there is never enough time, but it is still soooooo good. Have a wonderful, wonderful time and good luck finding just the right spot for your wedding.

x

Claudia said...

Have a great time - I´m glad you get it about the advertising, marketing etc. making us feel bad about ourselves...time to jump off the band wagon.

paisley said...

very powerful.. as well as thought provoking... i will have to re read this several times i think in order to soak in all of its "layered" goodness......

Crafty Green Poet said...

I totally agree with your words about power and fear and body image. Have a great break!

Anonymous said...

kudos on an awesome post! will you please send me your email address to rubygirl76@gmail.com?
have a wonderful time in canada!
~ruby

Dalissa McEwen Reeder said...

Very truthful post. I wonder how to teach my daughters to not grow up with that same fear... Already at 8, my daughter has wondered at the fat issue ?!? She isn't even close to being fat. She seems to have let it go lately, thankfully. I must be on my toes to strategize ways to keep them from living a life of fear.

Have a wonderful time visiting your family!
-dalissa

Anonymous said...

Once again dear Megg, you have spoken to me...deeply. Ah, how your words resonate, and the fear and the self doubt and the anxiety...I keep telling myself to start turning my thinking around in an effort to see those areas where I am not full of fear and frustration, and here is proof from you that this WORKS! I thank you for the gift of your perscective and wisdom...you powerful beautiful woman!!!!

Have an absolutely wonderful time on your vacation home.!!!!!!

xoxoxo

paris parfait said...

Bravo, Megg for a powerful post with which many of us can identify. Enjoy your trip (and take lots of photos so we can live vicariously). :) xo

Anonymous said...

Have a wonderful trip home! And YES, I think that all of the worrying about our bodies and our "ideal" weight DOES erode our power. I like the idea of writing about power. Hmmm...this post is a spark! Thank you for that! :)

Hope said...

You’re so right. Fear is a powerful force, and I liked the filling holes idea; illusionary holes seen through the marketer’s eyes!!

Amber said...

This was a GREAT post, full of thoughts I couldn't agree with MORE!!! Sometimes I just really wish I could sit and chat with you, I have got to tell you. :)

If we don't see you back before your birthday, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! May it be full of love and Light and more love.

:)

Tumblewords: said...

Happy birthday, happy vacation! I loved this post!!

madelyn said...

splendid post - and I also adore
October - it infuses me with poetry
and life - have a marvellous trip
sweetie - if you end up in Vancouver
please come have chai with me!

Unknown said...

Megg-

I hope you have a wonderful trip.
I would love to talk and will gladly give you my phone number.
Just email me at ToriMilan@maine.rr.com and I will give you my number!!!

Colleen said...

Yay!!!! Great post Meg! Especially the part about it being very very soon!!!!! Enjoy your vacation and I'll see you soon! Yay!

LuAnn @ BackPorchervations said...

That's true...I hope many people hear this message, that we have to own our power, or others may try to drain it.

awareness said...

It's all about the energy we choose to put out there isn't it? It's so easy to slip into the self-deprecation mode.....and yet.....if we remain aware of how it can eat away at our creativity and gifts, then we have a better chance of not choosing that path.

Enjoy your trip home......which is also my home and native land. It is spectacularly BEEEE UUUUU TEEEEE FULLLLLL right now! I spent the afternoon and evening enjoying the fall splendour and taking in a glorious sunset over the Saint John river.

We are blessed to be from Canada.

Deirdre said...

Everything you've written in this post hit home. So much wasted energy wishing we were more or less or different.

Have a wonderful trip home. It sound absolutely wonderful.

Anonymous said...

I live in so much fear that I'm trying to chip it away - slowly and surely and it can be very hard at times.
I love Canada and I'm hoping you have safe travels, a much deserved relaxing vacation. Take good care.

UL said...

Hi Meg, I am new to your post, new to your blog, but I enjoyed reading this post so much..thinking positive gives so much power than negative thoughts. Hope is what keeps us going from day today, negativity crushes hope, makes us weak. Power equates positive thinking, loved it. Keep posting. Here's wishing you a safe journey.

Alex S said...

Have a joyous, wonderful time Meg. I so relate to so much of what you write here, so so much. I am in Atlanta at the moment and had to pop in and get some kindred soul rejuvenation! Have a safe, superb trip!
Alexandra

Chelsea Talks Smack said...

Thank you so much for this post. It made me cry, because it was so poingant and HONEST. It hit every point that I feel I am personally struggling with as are many of my good friends. I read it to them as well.

I will re-direct my energy, thank you.

Michelle (a.k.a. la vie en rose) said...

oh you do not know how much i needed this reminder today. just this morning i noticed i wasn't chosen for something that another friend was chosen for and i started doubting myself...my voice...my writing... after reading your words i felt my power shift back into place...right where it belongs.

thank you for always inspiring me...and for reminding me to stop being so afraid!

i love you bunches!

Anonymous said...

You know that saying: What's the worst thing that could happen? My mother rewords it: What's the BEST thing that could happen? I think we often get stuck on the first...and forget to ask ourselves the second.

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