I walked with the Suffragettes!

I have been able to vote since I was 18 years old. I have never taken it for granted. Every time I vote I say thank you to all those brave warrior women we call Suffragettes who made it possible for me to make a decision and cast my vote.

This morning was different tho'. Luckily, I do not have to drive to my polling place. It is held in a small church on the main road right at the entrance to my apartment complex.

So, I got up early, bundled up as it was 37 degrees outside, chose one of my Goddess figurines from
Brigids Grove (https://www.etsy.com/shop/BrigidsGrove) and began my walk. Maybe it is because the Veil is still thin from Samhain, but whatever.... all of a sudden, I was with the Suffragettes! They were all around me... marching to the Polling Center. I stood tall and regal and walked slowly breathing in all that happened prior to the 1920 ratification of the 19th amendment and afterwards! Breathing in those Women who were put in prison, who were beaten and abused, who were demeaned and lost family support. Breathing in the brilliant choices of those such as Susan B Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

I walked with my head held high this morning with the Spirit of all those women who made it possible for me to vote in this country.

But today was different in another way. I was voting for a Woman to be President of the United States of America.

There are many who have accused me of voting for Hillary Clinton JUST BECAUSE she is a woman. Well, yes, her being a Woman is incredible, but let it be said, when Sarah Palin was running as Vice President, I did not hop on her bandwagon JUST BECAUSE she was a woman. There was no way, I would vote for anyone like her, woman or not... thus why I am not voting for Donald Trump.

I have "followed" Hillary Clinton since the early 80's. I respected her Voice for Women and Children, for her Activism and for her political decisions. I was thrilled when she became First Lady and then Secretary of State and Senator. She is an intelligent, compassionate, forward thinking, political savvy woman!

Does she still have one foot in the Patriarchal Mind Set? Yes! But you cannot get things done without understanding the abuses of power and control, the misogynistic, bigoted mind set, and you cannot understand how to "work the system" if you are not first a part of it in some way. It is women like Susan B Anthony who "worked the system" to finally achieve something she did not live to be able to take part in. She died before the ratification, but had left other women to continue the fight and finally win.

Hillary Clinton has to swim in those waters so her voice will be heard. This is the way changes will happen, with a Woman at the helm.

But she cannot and will not be able to do it alone. She will have a hard road ahead of her, as did President Obama, but she also has a shit load of Women surrounding her.

Like Susan B Anthony, who did hard work, suffered for it, and raised the awareness of other Women to continue the fight! We must continue this work. We cannot be Silent when the Election is over!

So, there I was surrounded by men and women (some with their children just like I use to do), all ages, races and stories. There I was surrounded by people in work clothes, some like me in my walking clothes and some in their Sports shirts. There were many holding coffee cups and lots on their phones. And yet, for me.... I was surrounded by All the Women who came before me so I could be standing in that line...knowing who I would be voting for and not worrying about who anyone else was voting for.

It was just me, Goddess and the Suffragettes. 

And I voted with Goddess in my hand! I voted with a smile on my face! And as I walked home I cried!

I voted!!!! It is a good day!