Happy Women's month!

In 1911, on March 8th, women all over Europe went out demonstrating their political rights. With the coming of WWI and II, those issues went hiding, but during the 50's and the women's liberation of the 60's this issue was put into the front page of our nation's attention. In 1978, in California, a small group of educators decided to have a week of celebrating and remembering women and their contributions. The week was chosen to be the first week of March so it could coincide with March 8th of the initial ' women's revolution.' Three years later, the congress declared the first week of March, the National Women's History Week. In 1987, the Congress expanded it to the whole month of March.

I personally think it's great that we dedicate a whole month into learning and celebrating women's accomplishments throughout the world. It's important for our sons and daughters to be reminded that although men were dominant in the past in most areas of life, women did make immense contributions to those fields. Literature, being my favorite subject, comes to mind. Poems of the Greek poetess Sappho and Scheherazade's Arabian nights were my first introduction to the wit and care demonstrated by women. Growing up I fell in love with stories about Cleopatra, Sacajawea, Abigail Adams, Annie Oakley, Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, and many more. As I've continued to read and learn, I've been attracted to female authors that through their pen were able to paint pictures of strong women characters. Elisabeth Bennett of Jane Austen, Anne Shirley of Montgomery, Margaret Hale of Elisabeth Gaskill, Jane Eyre of Charlotte Bronte, Mrs. Ramsay and Lili Briscoe of Virginia Woolf, are but a few that have mesmerized my imagination through out the years. Their independent spirits have contributed into making who I am. Their achievements have given me strength. Thus, I feel great when schools dedicate this month into teaching our children about great women of science, history, art, politics and all the other fields of life.

It is interesting to note that while growing up in Albania, a country known for its dichotomy of having a serious dictatorship and an equality between men and women, I remember celebrating March 8th with great joy. What is interesting about this, it's the fact that that date was our Mother's day. My brother and I would always look for Mimosa, a sweet smelling bright yellow flower blossoming during this month, to give to our mother. The whole country had the day off, and families would go for walks celebrating Mother's Day as a family. After all is said and done, the greatest achievement that any woman can make is her love, service and care she gives to her family. My relationship with my husband and my children is what gives me the greatest satisfaction. It is important that my children know that although I strive to be well educated and hard working in many areas of my life, it is being a mother that I really take seriously. It is an eternal and divine responsibility, and there is no other achievement in this life that will top that.

Here is to Motherhood, Womanhood, and all that we do!

"I'm strong. I'm invincible. I am woman!" - Helen Reddy
Here is her song: